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Now is that time of year when I envy every student going back to class with pristine white notebooks, highlighter sets and a graphing calculator.
While my schools had some run-ins with serious issues (like drugs, vandalism and assault), I felt relatively safe and enjoyed going back to class.
But not everyone has had that kind of positive experience. Bullies. Drugs. Gangs. Competition. Problems at home. Anxiety about work. Anxiety over money. Pressure, pressure, pressure. These are very real concerns for children, teens and young adults today.
Childlike joy
So why a commentary about being childlike? Because it’s time we were all reminded that it’s okay to be a child.
Being a child does not mean avoiding responsibility. We are still accountable for our thoughts and actions, no matter our age. But being childlike does mean approaching life with a joyful attitude. “Be happy, young man, while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth… Banish anxiety from your heart and cast off the troubles of your body” (Ecclesiastes 11:9-10, New International Version).
Formative years
Childhood is a most precious time of life. It is during these formative years that our personalities become established and our habits for life develop. It’s also when we become most vulnerable to social pressures. Children and teens who are exposed to traumatic situations, for example, are more likely to develop personality and anxiety disorders later in life.
Recently, with shock and pity, I watched a TV show about child pageanting. One young girl, age 10, chooses to be called by another name while performing. She then talks about herself in the third person, splitting her personas: “Madison would always play soccer. Tootie [her stage personality] would never play soccer.” Such dissociative behavior is not healthy!
Disappearing childhood
In our fast-paced society, children are encouraged to grow up too fast. Every child matures at a different rate, of course, but on the whole, childhood is disappearing.
On the same program, one parent bemoans how much work she puts into her daughter’s preparation for the pageant and how disappointed she personally would be if her daughter didn’t win. No pressure, Mom!
The child’s father, commenting on the costumes, hair and make-up, feels that as long as it’s tasteful, he doesn’t mind his daughter dressing up and performing. (Her swimsuit routine involves a breakaway skirt and a gyrating hips dance.) He would, however, draw the line at leather, chains and fishnet stockings. Good to know, Dad.
Their daughter is 4 years old.
Children of God
What’s wrong with simply being a child? Absolutely nothing! In fact, our Christian walk is often referred to as becoming children of God—His sons and daughters (2 Corinthians 6:18).
Jesus sternly rebuked His disciples when they tried to keep children away from Him. “Do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it” (Mark 10:14-15, NIV).
Why like a little child? Healthy children are humble, innocent, joyful, not devious, not prone to cruelty, not bitter and, most important, still open to receiving instruction from a parent. Notice the spiritual parallel as you read“Become Like Little Children.”
My back-to-school days are behind me, but my lifelong learning is yet ahead. My current course is Becoming Childlike 101. VT
- About the Author -
Debbie is an alumna of The Ohio State University, Indiana University and Ellis College. She attends the United Church of God in Bloomington, Illinois, with her husband, Guye.
Question: What do you get when you replace the first “t” in texting with an “s”?
Answer: Embarrassment, a bad reputation and possibly a criminal record!
The term “sexting” is derived from blending the words “sex” and “texting.” Wikipedia defines it as “the act of sending sexually explicit messages or photos electronically, primarily between cell phones.”
Think before you send…
A recent study by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy found that 20 percent of teens and 33 percent of young adults surveyed had “electronically sent, or posted online, nude or semi-nude pictures or video of themselves.” In the same group, 39 percent of teens and 59 percent of young adults had sent “sexually suggestive messages” (i.e., text rather than pictures or video). These statistics show an appalling lack of self-respect—or concern for others.
The survey sponsors compiled an excellent list of five reasons why sexting is a really bad idea. Take time to read it here.
Vertical thinkers realize that such behavior is merely a form of sexual sin carried out through modern technology. In addition to the moral ramifications, many teens and young adults are facing very serious social and legal consequences.
Reputation and the law
Messages with sexual content are often redistributed to a much larger audience, far beyond the intent of the sender. In a recent Slate.com article titled “Textual Misconduct,” journalist Dahlia Lithwick wryly summarized the harshness of this reality: “…young people fail to appreciate that their naked pictures want to roam free.”
Many are shocked when things they send or post “privately” roam into view of the entire football team—or worse yet, the whole school—or worse yet, a college recruiter or potential employer—or worse yet, the local police.
Lithwick cites a host of cases at the far end of “worse yet” to consider. In Pennsylvania, Indiana and Ohio, among other states, teens caught sexting have been prosecuted on felony charges of disseminating and possessing child pornography.
The economics of sex
Not surprisingly, the most valuable lesson on this topic comes from the pages of your Bible. Proverbs chapter 5 is a lesson on why sexual purity is so important. Verses 15-17 illustrate the concept with an analogy based on a simple economic principle: The value of an item is determined by how easily it can be obtained.
In other words, something that is unique and rare is more precious than something everybody has access to. These three verses use water as a symbol for a person’s sexuality. In that time and geographic location, water was an extremely scarce resource; it was highly prized and closely guarded—still is in many parts of the world.
Our sexuality must be treated the same way. The sexual aspects of our hearts, minds and bodies should be jealously protected and saved for only one person—your husband or wife—whether you are married now or still waiting to meet Mr. or Miss Right.
No “s” in texting
Correctly spelling “texting” requires a wider understanding of the divine value of sexuality. Read “Unintended Consequences vs. Intended Rewards” to learn more.
Don’t get involved in sexting for any reason. Nothing is worth allowing your sexuality to become something common and freely available. Instead, guard it diligently, and it will become a treasure of great value for both you and your spouse. VT
- About the Author -
David Cobb lives and works in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he and his wife Mandie and daughter HannahBeth attend the United Church of God.
