Skip to main content

Teenagers are My Favorites



“Teenagers are my favorites.”  It’s one of my more recent catch-phrases, and it often takes people by surprise.  But it’s true.  I love working with teenagers.  I love being around them in the office, at church, and in the community.  Mind you, I’m not that far removed from being a teenager, and am only in my 20s, but there is something about them that captures my heart, that raises up something fierce in me to protect them, that brings a smile of joyful expectation to my face.  Don’t get me wrong – I know that teenagers can be moody, overly sensitive, and a bit defiant as they struggle to figure out who they are.  But I love their honesty.  I love how aware they are of other people and their motives, how they see sift through the pretense to discover what a person really feels towards them and thinks.  I love to see their personalities and passions begin to unfold, directing them toward the future God has designed for them.  I love to see the dreams of God birthed in their hearts and imaginations, to see the way they look to the future as though nothing is impossible. 

And teenagers have a special place in God’s heart as well.  In Amos 2:11, God says:

“I took some of your children and raised them up (Voice), confirming and ordaining them, stirring them up, strengthening them, making them sure, and causing an uprising in them (KJV+Strong’s) as prophets. and I called some of your youth to be Nazirites, set aside to my service (Voice) and devoted to me (KJV+Strong’s).” 

I hope some teenagers are reading this.  Even beyond the promises of God in Jeremiah 29:11 that He has a plan for each of us, this verse says that He is raising up children and young people, stirring them up, strengthening them, and inciting an uprising among them – an uprising of boldness to speak His truth, to serve Him in purity and devotion, to be sure of who He is and who He created them to be.  He has called them and raised them up to be Nazirites.

Perhaps it would be helpful to establish what a “Nazirite” is.  In the Old Testament (Number 6, to be exact), God outlines the qualifications or criteria of a Nazirite as follows.  A person who wishes to be a Nazirite must be solely dedicated to the Lord (Numbers 6:2), abstain from any alcohol (Numbers 6:3), not cut their hair (Numbers 6:5), and avoid dead things (Numbers 6:6).  To be a figurative “Nazirite” as a New Testament believer then could be defined as follows:

-          Being dedicated to following God’s plan for our lives
-          Focusing on the Word intently, so our vision and judgment do not become impaired
-          Remaining steadfastly submitted to the Lord at all times, that He might make us strong[1]
-          Avoiding dead works, or works that will not glorify God

This is what God calls young people to be.  This is what He has set them apart to be – people who speak truth boldly, as a prophet would do, who are dedicated to His plan for their lives, who are devoted to the word, who remain steadfastly submitted to the Lord at all times, and avoid worthless and meaningless pursuits. 

So what is happening?  Where is the disconnect between what God is calling them to be and what we see so often in our country?

I believe that the disconnect is the result of our nation-wide pessimism about teenagers and the lies we tell them - be it through the media, dysfunctional relationships, or heart-wrenching experiences they are left to navigate on their own.   Think of what you see on television, what you hear in conversations between adults as they discuss the “younger generation.”  What are they saying?  What are our kids hearing?  They are hearing that our only expectation of them is to behave badly.  They are hearing that no one will want to spend time with them (because they’re ”teenagers” – insert the stereotypical eye roll and cynical chuckle that almost always accompanies such a comment).  And furthermore, they are hearing that their voices don’t matter.  I work with children in the foster care system, and I can’t tell you the number of times I have seen teenagers stand up and point out the flaws of the system, have heard them complain against the injustices in our child welfare system, or have seen them try to advocate for the needs that are not being met in their foster homes – only to be dismissed as “manipulative.”  

And apparently this isn’t a new phenomenon.  Check out Amos 2:12:

“But you (the people of Israel) forgot what I had done for you (Clear Word).  You commanded the prophets not to speak their message, and you pressured the Nazirites into drinking wine (CEV), drowning them, influencing them and making them drunk (KJV+Strong’s).”

God says the lies about teenagers have been around for centuries.  He says they stem from adults forgetting what God did for them, bringing them through the difficult days of adolescence, giving them hope and a sense of purpose, and adults who cared about them to help shepherd them into adulthood.  He sees the way our society silences our young people, not wanting to hear the truths they see.  He sees how our culture pressures young people, who should be protected in innocence, to make damaging decisions, decisions that will drown them in regret and consequences beyond what they can handle.  He sees how our culture intoxicates youth in materialism and emptiness.  

And He won’t stand for it.  The rest of Amos 2 talks about the judgment that will come to the people who have further stifled the voice of the young people, who have pressured them to compromise and turn away from the plans of God for their lives.  He takes their lives and their place in the church very seriously. And so should we.

Teenagers, if you are reading this, please, hear my heart.  Press in to God.  Don’t allow anyone to stifle your passion for Him.  His plans for you are mighty.  He needs you to fulfill your destiny.  WE need you to fulfill your destiny. Your role as a prophet and a Nazirite is important on this earth.  Don’t let the world around you silence the call of God on your life.  Speak up for what’s right, for the change He commissioned you to bring into this world.  Don’t cave into the pressure all around you.  Don’t entertain beliefs, activities, or substances that will compromise your judgment – stay focused on the Word.  Let it be the guide that helps you navigate life.  Stay submitted to God, and don’t lose time on things that don’t matter.  Don’t get sidetracked.  Do what you were created to do.

And adults - join me in creating an atmosphere of grace for the teenagers in our lives.  Don’t forget what God did for you when you were a teenager, when you were young in your faith and still discovering all that God had for you.  Listen to what God has put on the hearts of the young people around you.  Ask them intelligent questions about their relationship with God, what they would change in the world around them, about what they want to do.  Ask them what is going on in their lives and how you can pray for them, battling alongside them to help their God-given dreams to become a reality.  And don’t pressure them to become so caught up in activities, relationships, or even education that they forget to seek God.  And don’t make them feel unwelcome.  They get enough of that from the culture around them.  Just love them.  Love them like Christ loves them.  Love them with wide-eyed wonder as God transforms them into the power-packed people He designed them to be.

Teenagers are my favorites.  I make no apologies for that.  And neither does God.  They are some of His favorites too.   


[1] 1 Corinthians 11 talks about the importance of women wearing their hair long or wearing something over their head as a symbol of their submission to God’s authority; and Judges 16 states that not cutting his hair, as a symbol of his submission and obedience to God’s call on his life, was what gave Sampson strength.  Likewise, when we remain steadfastly submitted to the call of God on our lives, we will grow in strength and are figuratively fulfilling Old Testament procedures for being a “Nazirite.”

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Our Refuge: Knowing God through the Psalms

“I have confidence in your strength; you are my refuge , O God … I will praise you, my defender.   My refuge is God, the God who loves me …” – Psalm 59:9, 17, Good News Bible The Psalms are filled with verses about God our refuge: -           Psalm 9:9 says that the Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a place of safety in times of trouble. -           In Psalm 31:3, the Psalmist reminds God that He is our refuge and defense and asks for guidance. -           Psalm 59:16 is filled with the songs of celebration of the strength and constant love of our Refuge God. -           Psalm 62:8 encourages us to tell all our problems to God, to trust Him at all times, for He is our refuge.   And there are so many more references along this line.   But have you ever stopped to wonder what that means? ...

Asking for the Nations ...

It’s been my theory for a number of years now that everyone “has” a country, one nation at least that God lays on their heart, one place that if they were really honest, they would fly to in a heartbeat if the opportunity arose.  I mean it.  Look yourself in the eye (with a mirror of course), and ask yourself, “Where would you go if money were no option and you could leave right this instant?”  You heard it, didn’t you?  The whisper of another land, of a purpose beyond yourself … I hear it … I long for it.  My heart belongs there in another world … So much of what I’ve gone through in my life has prepared me to be a part of this nation, to pray for them, to do battle for the people of that nation in a realm we cannot see … A few years ago I was reading in Psalms and discovered a promise I’ve never forgotten.  Psalm 2:8, in the Contemporary English Version says, “Ask me for the nations, and every nation on earth will belong to you.”  And, as I’ve quit ...

Moats, Drawbridges, and Royalty - Oh my! Knowing God as our Castle

God is bedrock under my feet, the castle in which I live , my rescuing knight … ~ Psalm 18:2, Message Perhaps it’s a sign of my simple, fairy-tale loving nature, but I have always been entranced with castles.   The spires that reach wistfully to the sky, the majesty and magic that seem to surround them, the regal beauty hidden within them, the safety and mystery they simultaneously portray to a world of curiously ordinary people, the resplendent riches and luxuries they contain … There’s something about castles that has always intrigued my heart, and therefore, when I found this verse – I fell instantly in love with it.   I love that God is depicted as the “castle in which I live,” the castle of my soul; love that He is the richness and extravagance my soul luxuriates in – no matter what the circumstances look like; that He is my dwelling place, my place of security and strength.   But it’s amazing how much more this imagery suggests to us about the heart and nature o...