One thing that has always weighed heavy on my heart is teenagers and sex. It breaks my heart to hear kids walking through the halls of Conroe High talking about things that they shouldn't be experiencing yet. It breaks my heart to see 15, 16, 17 and 18 years old girls walking down the halls about to pop. (Just the other day, I proctored a test and in the room was a 10th grader who just celebrated her daughter's 3rd birthday...I'm 28 and my oldest daughter has yet to turn 3). That's alot of responsibility for a kid to handle.
But it's more than that. It's more than the responsibility that they are forced to undertake. It's the hearts that it breaks. Each others' (when it invariably doesn't work out), any children who might be involved and most importantly, the Lord's.
Now, I haven't been employed at many schools...only 3, but the problem of sexual immorality is worse here at Conroe High than anywhere else I've been. In my first two years of teaching, I could count on one hand the amount of students that I had who had children or were about to. At Conroe High, my hands and feet wouldn't be enough to count in this one school year. And that breaks my heart because I know that it breaks God's.
Popular culture has done nothing to diminish this epidemic. Add to that a generation of students who, for the most part, are growing up with no moral code and you have teenagers who grow up believing that "Whatever is, is right (Alexander Pope)."
Killeen had a program called "Worth the Wait." Students would wear shirts that said on the front "I am..." and on the back, "worth the wait!" It takes a strong support system and a school to encourage that kind of behavior and commitment...and yes, it is a commitment.
Even the good kids. The ones who I know attend church and have a strong relationship with Jesus have admitted to me that they have fallen victim to the temptation. I remember one time in class, somehow, we got on the topic of waiting for your future husband/wife. I had one student, who I respect and admire for her relationship with Christ say, "I wish I could do that." It broke my heart. Since then, I always wonder: "Has this kid, who professes Christ so boldly fallen victim to the temptation?" The cynic in me often finds myself saying, "Probably."
It has become so problematic that I know a youth minister once told his youth group that the majority of them would probably have sex before marriage if they hadn't already. How sad is that? Giving the students a prophecy to fulfill because you assume that it's going to happen. Hopefully, he wasn't right.
It's a problem that weighs heavy on me. When I see and hear these kids showing no regard to their purity, it saddens me.
That's why today was so refreshing.
During my conference period/lunch break I had a student making up a test. While she was taking her test, another student came in and sat down, almost in tears. She walked out of her class because all the kids around her were talking about was sex. She said she hears it at church, at school and she's tired of it. And it broke her heart.
How good to see a student who respects her body. A student who loves the Lord enough to stand up and say that she is tired of hearing about it. It's good to know that there are still some who know what God has said about it and are willing to take a stand to wait.
1 Corinthians 6:18-20: "Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."
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Great to have you back! If I would have known that you would have responded so quickly to my encouragement regarding you last post, I would have responded to that post much sooner than today.
ReplyDeleteIt is disheartening to work with teenagers and see them experiencing things earlier and earlier. Everyday I have to redirect students’ discussions from the sexual things they are talking about.
I think one of the problems is that so many people want to ignore the fact that teenagers (Christian or non-believers) are going to have sexual urges. Their hormones are going crazy and their bodies are changing and there is no way to stop that. A simple "That's wrong!" discussion with your kids is not going to cut it. We are going to have to have the really awkward discussion with them. The full on discuss of what is happening, what will happen, and why it happens. Then discuss how we as Christians need to have a strong sense of self control. "You'll go blind if you keep doing that!" is not an ok way to address the sexual urges that kids have.
Now to the part of the youth minister throwing out statistics at their youth group. Part of me understands doing that. People need to realize what is happening. Statistics can show us that. I guess as statistics go and how we should use them as believers is address the fact that, because of Christ we don't have to follow the odds given by a statistic. We aren't condemned to fall victim just because others do. And that goes for all of us, not just kids. We need to look at the data but then implement changes in ourselves and encourage changes in others to change the negative data.
Agreed with Dave above.
ReplyDeleteIt's not as "in your face" here at UMHB as it was (is) in high school, but believe me, it's here as well.
A lot of it also is that teenagers just do not have enough respect for themselves. They allow themselves to be told what they need to be and how to look and act by other people, instead of realizing that the person who they are is beautiful in the eyes of loved ones and more importantly, Christ.
I know as teachers, y'all see this every single day. Just keep being positive role models that you guys are. Trust me, people my age need younger adults like y'all to show them what's right. It really goes a long way. It sure has for my brother and I!
Love y'all.
Part of the problem with teenage sex is that these kids view sex as a purely physical act. They do not consider the impact sex will have on them from an emotional, psychological or spiritual standpoint.
ReplyDeleteNot to mention that media/Hollywood views the virgin as a unicorn. Kids today are basically told that maintianing your virginity is a lost cause, so why try.
Hannah said...
ReplyDeleteAgree with Jeff. If you're told it's not possible, why try? I don't understand why Texas won't adopt a "Worth the Wait" or other campaign statewide. Sad thing is, teen pregnancy is tearing apart our society.
I see that in elementary school. These girls that are pregnant so young. Alone. Not ready. The lucky babies are honestly the ones who end up being raised by grandmothers instead of the girl who got pregnant way too young.
The kids I see everyday being raised by girls who were pregant young are, for the most part, sad. Mom. No dad. So very poor. Mom either cares and is gone all the time working to provide, or couldn't give a rip and is gone all the time partying while her kids raise themselves.
I realize this is a generalization, but come visit my classroom. This generalization is a reality. In my class of 20 second graders, I only have about 5 who live with mom and dad. And that's more than I've ever had.
The generation growing up right now is having a different childhood than we had.