ALERT!!

This post is to give all you young people a heads up. If you didn't already know it, our society has very low expectations of you!

I don't know how many times I've heard over the years (and very recently) things like "that's just what boys do," "that's just how guys are," "they're going to do it, it's part of growing up," "if you think your kids aren't talking like that, you're crazy/naive/head is buried in the sand."

The people saying these things are talking about all kinds of behavior that goes against the way a Christian young person should be living their lives - things like drinking before legal age, getting drunk, doing drugs, having premarital sex, using crude or foul language, behaving immorally...

How does that make you feel? Most people really believe that you Christian young people cannot be serious about your walk with God; you can't be expected to honor & obey God and be Christ-like in your behavior. They have resigned you to running down the wrong path for the better part of your teen and twenty-something years and have already handed you over to the heartbreaking and often life-changing consequences that path leads you to. Can you believe they think no better of you than that?

But not all of us feel that way. Somewhere around you, you have Christian parents, or friends, or teachers, or mentors that believe much better of you.

We know you love God with all your hearts, and minds, and souls. We know that honoring God with all of your choices, even through your teen and twenty-something years, is your top priority because we believe you want to glorify God with your whole life!

And what do you know? You know that God has not forbidden the things He has just to keep you from having fun. You know that He has done so to protect you and to give you the most abundant life you can have. He has done so to keep sin's consequences far away from your life. Think about what some of those consequences might be: teen pregnancy; more bad choices made under the influence of some alcohol or drug - choices that can hurt or kill; turning someone away from Christ instead of towards Him; whole lives altered - and not for the better. And now think of the time wasted that could have been used in building up God's Kingdom; think of the regrets...

What else do you know? You know that obeying God is an act of gratefulness for what he has done for us and for our world through Jesus' death and resurrection. You know that and you don't take it lightly. You know that it may not always be easy to make the choices God wants you to make; you know you will face temptation. But you also know God has given you the power through the Spirit to do what is right. Will you make mistakes? Yes. Will you mess up? Sure. Will God forgive you? You know He will. This isn't about being perfect. It is about being set apart because you are God's child, and though you may fail at times, you will live your life to please Him. You are a disciple of Jesus. Your life and your choices will look different.

I challenge all of you not to lower yourselves to the expectations many in our society have for you. Instead, reach for the expectations those of us who love God, who love you, and who know you love God, have for you. We know you can do it...God knows you can do it!!