When was the last time you read the story of Christ’s birth? As I look at the biblical account, one of the things that stands out to me is how God, in His infinite wisdom, didn’t send a ‘finished product.’
Instead of a man, He sent a baby.
Remarkably, the King of kings went through the same natural growth process of childhood that every one of us experienced. Scripture, of course, documents flashes of His divinity, even then. But, still, Christ was undeniably a human child, as unfinished a product as ever there was.
We know little of His earliest years, but it’s logical to assume Jesus’ basic experiences — learning to walk, to feed Himself, to play with other children — weren’t that much different from our own.
Looking around at the children here at Boys Ranch, I see hundreds of works in progress in our midst, too. In their time with us, the youth we serve will have all sorts of relational, spiritual and educational experiences. They’ll heal painful wounds, learn new skills and begin to dream about what their lives, thanks to your much-needed help, will be.
Yet, for all the preparation and training, they still won’t be truly finished. And, that’s a wonderful thing!
God created each child at Boys Ranch, like all of us, to experience years of learning, growing and experimentation as we mark our transition from childhood into strong, independent men and women.
Our lives were made for discovery! Long after our youth reach adulthood, each will continue to be a wondrous, masterful work in progress. Like every man or woman who’s ever lived, they’ll never be truly ‘finished’ as long as they draw breath.
The inspiring children we serve are overcoming all types of personal hurdles. They’re trying new things and making choices that impact their lives. Sometimes, the choices our youth make will result in amazing successes that make us proud. Other times, well, they simply mess up and try again.
That’s a normal and much-needed process in becoming successful young adults.
I’m so glad you’ve offered them one of the greatest gifts they could receive, be it at Christmas, or any other time — the safe environment of Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch in which to discover themselves! Here, we can help them see how a given choice might or might not be beneficial. We can show them the potential outcomes of decisions they can’t yet fathom. And, we can work with them to learn from those choices to make their next decisions even better.
In this special Christmas issue, we examine two special gifts Cal Farley’s freely shares with every child we serve: Acceptance that says, ‘I love you, just as you are,’ and a wisdom that says, ‘You can always be better tomorrow than you are today.’
Our youths’ futures aren’t written in stone. They’re instead based on the choices each child makes, day after day. What a blessing; regardless of the pasts our young people bring with them to Boys Ranch, their futures can be whatever they make them to be with determination and perseverance!
As you read about the lives your support has touched in this issue of The Roundup, I hope you appreciate your special role in their lives.
Thank you for the love, support and prayers you offer every one of our works in progress. Thank you, and have a blessed Christmas!
