One right here in Rockdale County.

Yes, there are a few who go over the edge, act out some strange and horrible behavior. There are a few. There are a few.

And of course, the few get headlines, continuous news coverage, and make us concentrate on them in their moment in history. There are a few. There are a few.

But, of course, there are also the many... the many more... the many, many more! The many, many more GOOD ones! The young people who study and learn, who smile and laugh, who serve and produce, who march and play and sing and dance and compete and try and give and care and love and contribute. The young people who make this world a better place for themselves, those around them, and for all of us!

We don't have to look far in our community to find example after example of the good ones. In almost every home, in every school, in every church, at every game or program or event there are the good ones multiplying to the thousands.

If you haven't been to a school program lately, make it your business soon to show up as a visitor and see some of the good ones. If you haven't been to a school or youth musical or drama lately, read the local papers or call the schools or churches and give yourself a treat by going to see and hear and celebrate some of the good ones. If you haven't been to a youth sports event lately, go out to the soccer field or stop in at the gym and admire the youthful spirit and ability of the participants. (Ignore the occasional obnoxious parents and coaches making fools of themselves if you happen to witness such "adultish behavior").

The GOOD ones! Yes, the GOOD ones! They are many. They are strong. They are the masses. They are the norm. They are the rule. They are the worthy headline-grabbers. Wouldn't it be nice to see more headlines like, "Local Teens Show Excellence, Diligence, Perseverance"? God bless our local papers for reporting about the good ones as often and as much as they do. Please keep it up. Please do it more.

Now, just as one example in thousands of the good ones, let me tell you about the 55 mentioned in my title above. Here at our church we have a youth production ministry, calling themselves "The God Squad," made up of middle and high school students. They begin to meet weekly in September and work all school year on a Christian Musical to be presented near the end of the school year. Tomorrow is the first of several presentations of this year's show "The Message." Still to come are another presentation here on a Sunday evening and several more on a "mission tour" to Mississippi and Texas in June.

We've done this for about eight years now, and participation has grown from about 15 to the 55 involved now. Of course, the number is not important other than in celebration of how many good ones are in just this one example. Are they perfect? No. Are they typical teenagers? Yes. Does working with youth give their leaders their highest highs and also their lowest lows? Of course.

But if all was really fair and just in this world right now, the headline at the top of every paper within a 50-mile radius would read today, "Local Teens Show Excellence, Diligence, Perseverance as 'God Squad' Presents Program Sunday." And I guarantee you 55 of the good ones will show up and do their best before God and everybody! And five or 55 or 555 more good ones will be doing the same elsewhere.

To you good ones among us: Don't give up your faith and hope. Keep living lives of courage and strength, serving your God and humankind. We your parents and the generations ahead of you still believe in you. We still believe God has blessed us with you. We still believe God has placed our world's future in your good hands.

You know the reality of the few among us. But we all know the blessing of the many, many, many GOOD ones. Thanks be to God!