The Great Kid Within

"Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." -- Galatians 6:9

I am not one to remember lines from movies, but one that keeps playing over and over in my mind is Mufasa's statement to his young cub in Disney's "The Lion King." It is a moment of revelation which could have saved this prince of the pride a lot of trouble and heartache, if only he had taken to heart his father's words: "Simba, you are more than you have become."

As I watch my own teenager struggle with the challenges of adolescence, making mistakes, and suffering the consequences for them, I sometimes speak those same words to him. As a parent, I pray diligently for my children, doing everything in my power to impress upon them how much God loves and values them and the promise that he has a wonderful plan for their lives. I truly believe they understand that, but in their limited, youthful inexperience, they cannot see how their present reality will impact their future potential. In other words, they are guilty of making poor choices that can and most likely will hinder the unfolding of God's plan and purpose for their lives. They don't realize that oversleeping and missing the bus could very well translate into showing up late for work and losing a job. Or that failing to make good grades in school will be a reflection to future employers or potential colleges of a lack of commitment to follow through and do a good job.

All I can do as a parent is continue to pray each day that God will open their eyes and somehow let them see how precious time is and how precious they are, to me and to him. I pray that they will quickly learn from their mistakes, correct their actions, and above all, have a heart for the one who created the great kid within.

Parenting is difficult and even heartbreaking at times. It requires the heart of a lion, and the help of the Lion of Judah, to train up our children in the way they should go.

Friends are Fickle -- They'll Put You in a Pickle!

Relationships are tricky for even the most mature adults I know. I can imagine that they trickier still for today's generation of young people. Yet healthy relationships are SO important, particularly in the turbulent teenage years. How does one even know what a healthy relationship is?

Consider your friends. What kind of people do you hang out with? How much like you are they really? If you a Christian teen, you need to be especially careful to spend most of your social time with peers that are heaven-minded, not worldly in their thoughts and actions. If you are serious about your relationship with God, you must guard your heart because it is the wellspring of life (Proverbs 4:23). In other words, if you let down your guard, your heart will be drawn to things that are not God's best for you. You must be careful with your affections in every area of your life--friendships, entertainment, and dating.

God wants you to love everyone, just as he does. But he does not desire for you to spend your time hanging out with friends who have ungodly qualities. It is one thing to casually converse with those who are lost and immoral as you pass them in the hallway or sit by them in class. It is another thing entirely to spend lots of time in the company of individuals whose heart is not set on God or on the things of God. Kids with emotional baggage will only drag you down. You cannot save them; only Jesus can.

A true friend is one who will stick closer than a brother and model the character of God himself. If your friends are talking about you, spreading rumors, or luring you into activities that you know God would disapprove of, then are they really the kind of friends you should be spending your time with?

No one wants to be lonely. We all want to be with people because God created us as relational beings. However, the cost of spending your time in the company of willful sinners (we all sin, but some are habitual sinners) is great. God says we are to be in the world, not of it. That means that while we have to live among those who might not believe, we don't have to take on their character qualities and stoop to their level of immoral behavior. We are to remain holy and pure, even as Christ is. Even if it takes times of solitude and separation from your friends, know that Jesus is always going to be there for you and he will be enough, if you let him be your very best friend.

Rather than continue hanging out with fickle and foolish friends, ask Jesus to send you friends who love him as much as you do. If you honor him, he will honor you.

Wash Your Mouth Out!

When I was a growing up it wasn't unusual for me to frequently hear the words, "I'm going to wash your mouth out with soap!" Normally, my mom wasn't talking to me but rather to my teenage brothers. As a young mother, I took great delight in following in her footsteps by coating my son's toothbrush with soap and making him brush his teeth (thus washing out his mouth) any time he back-talked me. The thought of it makes me grin even today.

Sadly, those of your generation are caught up in some really lousy language habits. Even Christian teenagers go around saying things that would make their mother's hair curl! When did it become okay to use such profanity, sexually explicit language, and bad mouth each other, often broadcasting your comments via text messages, Facebook, or email? Whether you write bad words on the hood of your friend's car as a joke, or use profanity and a disrespectful tone when talking to your parents, you are sinning in God's sight and hurting those around you. Although you may not realize it, some words you speak or write can be considered sexual harassment so be careful what you say and to whom you say it.

The Bible says a lot about our mouths, the tongue, and the wickedness of trash talking. In the third chapter of James we are told that "It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell (v. 6, The Message). "With our tongues we bless God our Father; with the same tongues we curse the very men and women he made in his image. Curses and blessings out of the same mouth! My friends, this can't go on" (vs. 9-10, The Message).

God wants us to use our words to edify people and praise him, not dishonor God and disgrace others. Which will you choose to do today? Talk like the rest of your generation, using language that is hurtful and disgraceful, or dare to be a little better than everyone you know and actually say things that are positive, uplifting, and God-honoring?

You are known not only by the company you keep, but also by the words you speak to others. "You have minds like a snake pit! How do you suppose what you say is worth anything when you are so foul-minded? It's your heart, not the dictionary, that gives meaning to your words" (Matthew 12:34). Oh, be wise, guard your heart, and choose your words carefully!