Cashing that paycheck from a first job is a rite of passage for most teenagers. Whether it’s out of necessity to help support the family or just to earn a little extra spending money, securing a summer job is a gateway to the first taste of independence.

My first summer job came when I was 16 years old. I worked at a movie rental store (remember those?) called Video Warehouse. I wore a red polo shirt and khaki shorts to work four days a week that summer as I checked out the latest DVDs and videotapes (remember those?) to Augusta families.

I made minimum wage, and I didn’t mind. Adding any amount to my bank account was an exhilarating feeling.

My parents were always generous with granting me spending money when I didn’t have a job. But there was something different about being able to provide for myself.

I might have been taking home only a couple of hundred dollars each month, but to me the possibilities of earning my own paycheck were endless. With a little bit of money came a greater sense of independence.

The longing of every teenage heart is to be independent. After you’ve tasted a little freedom from your parents, it’s hard to forget how sweet it is.

The older you get, the more embarrassing it becomes to have to depend on someone else to provide the things you need. There’s a stigma of shame attached to not being able to provide for yourself.

Why, then, does God want us to depend on him so much? Continue reading →