"I love being the middle child"

I am not actually the middle child. . . I am the youngest. But today in class one of my students a freshman boy told me that he loved being the middle child. I must have had a puzzled look on my face when he told me this because he went on to explain to me that being the middle child gives him the opportunity to look up to someone (his big brother) and to give to someone else (his little sister). As he spoke i was shocked at how well this young man was describing mentoring. He was living it out in his home with his siblings. As his older brother pours into him he is turning around and pouring into his sister. Oh, how i wish i could sit with his parents and ask how they instilled this very different "middle child" perspective into their son. 

I believe we as individual thrive when we are the middle child. While my birth order may be the youngest i have placed myself into middle child ground. I have had the privilege of being mentored by some amazing women and poured into by incredible youth pastors and camp directors (thanks SB2Ws). I learn at the age of 12 how important it was to be a "big sister" so as the youngest child i became the middle child as i surrounded myself with younger kids who i could pour into. I didn't always know what to say or how to be "wise" but i knew the importance of loving well. Some of those younger girls i started mentoring 25 years ago are still coming to dinner! they have grown up and become dear friends. As they grew up i found more girls i could pour into, and as i grew up i found others who could mentor me.

Being the middle child int he Kingdom of God is truly the best place for me.  What are you doing to place yourself in the middle?