This photo was taken at 6:30 a.m. on a Saturday. Why does that matter? I'll get to that in a second.
I often hear disparaging remarks about our younger generation, particularly teenagers. They're lazy. They're self-centered. They're disrespectful. They don't know how to work. They're loud and obnoxious. They can't put their phones down for two seconds. We have serious need to be worried for our future because of them.
I've heard all of these things and more about the rising generation. I'm sure it's true of some of them. All I can say though, is that people who say these things don't know the kids I know!
Let me tell you about the ones I know.
Let's start with the picture above. It matters that it was taken at 6:30 on a Saturday morning because the reason I was up at that hour was to meet with a group of about fifteen 12-17 year-olds to go perform some service. At 6:30 a.m.! On a Saturday!
Lazy? Self-centered? Disrespectful? Hardly! Our service lasted until about 10:00 a.m. and I didn't see one phone out among them. That whole time. They were too busy interacting with each other to even pull out a phone.
I know another group of young men who recently bleached and scrubbed and polished a kitchen used to feed hundreds of people and another group of a few young women who made and delivered a holiday wreath to an elderly widow, staying to visit with her and listen to her stories of days past.
I've worked with teenagers the better part of forty years. I could go on for days recounting the times I've seen them show kindness, actively engage in improving themselves, work hard physically, mentally, and emotionally, all while navigating the developmental minefield that is puberty.
Are they perfect? Heck, no. But they're good. Their hearts and desires are good. They're doing the best they know how with the amount of experience and wisdom they have. It can be easy to forget how young they really are when many of them look so grown up. Remember, they only have relatively few years of life experience behind them. (Even if they may think otherwise.)
I recognize that I know some truly exceptional young people and that not all teenagers are like them. But I also see the influence these good-hearted youth have on their friends, families, and communities and I know the far-reaching impact a good example or a kind act can have. When I look at this rising generation, I have hope and feel like our future is in very good hands.
Can we give them grace, model the behavior we hope they'll adopt, look for the best in them and help them to see the it, too?