Teens and Youth 1 - Diversity ahead ...

Tuesday, May 18, 2010. Young people are as diverse as old ones. What do you think about the youth? Some young guys are boring - as there are old people who are boring. Many of the teens are excited about things, about music, about sports, about books, about films, about friendship. Some love each other, and some hate each other, just like the old folks.

Diversity ahead

There are young people who are trying to find out more about God. They are looking into Christian books, attending the big festivals of faith. Some take part in christian youth groups, attend Sunday school or its modern branches. One of our daughters started to meet a group of girls to pray for school in the morning, when she was just 12 years old. These are normal girls, and yet, they have already found something in faith which attracts them, they have met the Lord and try to find their own way of faith. She said: “we had a cool idea today, we meet and pray for school!”

Others are less interested. Hobbies and leisure can be very exciting - and it is in fact exciting. What would the world be without a fantastic nature, without the possibility to play football and basketball, to go by bike along the river, to climb trees and swim in the pools and the lakes in our neighborhood?

But our youth is a time of diversity as well. Not only a time where there are diverse groups, but a time where I am diverse as well. In my own soul there are many parts, many needs, many capabilities and talents, many options and possibilities. Youth is a time to discover a good part of them. That will lead me here or there, it is exciting and it is a time where things are not yet set in stone! So when we are young, we should be open to our own diversity. When we are older and take care of youngsters, we should be aware of this diversity!

God's role in diversity

What is God's role in the diversity of our youth? He is there, he created this diversity. He is the God of the all. He has made us extremely rich by giving us many different features, options, possibilities, characters. We will find these features developing when we accompany a young person. We will find these features in our heart and our soul, when we grow up.

Often I think: our society is not really prepared to deal with the riches which God has given us, to appreciate the diversity of humans, in particular of young people. We try to formulate templates, what young people should learn and how they should be. But we do not pay attention to nature. There are those who fit the scheme, and many who are different. Boys want to explore their physical strength, yet they are bound to sit long hours. Others have the gift of caring. But that is not part of our school system. Social skills are not really appreciated - except for the talent to behave well and follow narrow rules. Of course, rules are important when many want to live together. But the rules have to serve the people, not vice versa, Jesus said once. He knew all this. ... more texts