03.05.06 Bulletin Article -- Be Careful About High School

We are often reminded of the potential dangers that lie within children’s High School years. The most glaring of these dangers is peer pressure as it relates to alcohol, drugs, premarital sex, cheating, and other immoral actions. We all should be aware of peer pressure and the immoral dangers associated with it. May we make stands to keep our lives pure from these sins.

The longer I have the privilege work with young people—and the more I reflect on my time in High School—the more I realize that there might be a bigger “danger” to our Christian young people than that of peer pressure. I think the biggest obstacle Christian teenagers face is the temptation to make High School the most important thing in their lives. Satan doesn’t have to throw beer, marijuana, or sex in all Christians’ faces to get their soul. He can place grades, clubs, sports, or popularity on shiny and attractive trophies within our young peoples’ reaches. If they acknowledge that anything is more important than their service to God, then Satan knows he will always have a stronghold on their hearts.

I know that I’m now an “oldie” in the eyes of today’s teenagers; they probably don’t realize how recently I was a High School student myself. I was there; I took the tests, served in the clubs, had friends, did the extra-curriculars, and did most of them well. With all due respect to Paul as an inspired author of scripture, I want to outline my “qualifications” as a High School student based on Philippians 3:4-6. “though I myself have reason for confidence in High School also. If anyone thinks he or she has reason for confidence in High School, I have more: graduated number one in Senior class of 176, finished with a 4.45 GPA, received Honors diploma, a students’ student; as to clubs, a member of National Honor Society, Beta Club, Photography Club (Vice-President),Mu Alpha Theta (President); as to band, First Chair French Horn, Senior Band Captain, Two-time All-State participant; as to friends and popularity, numerous close friendships and ‘Best All- Around’ in Who’s Who.”

Like Paul, I include those things not to brag about my time in High School. Those things certainly have sentimental value, but they don’t matter much to me anymore. I mention my High School resume to show that I know that it is important and that there is plenty of good in which to be involved. However, amongst all of those personal accomplishments lie squandered opportunities to do good things for the spirituality of myself and others. Within the grandeur of “being the best” existed choices that led to immorality. I experienced much and learned much during many valuable opportunities while a High School student. However, the most important thing I learned about High School was that it wasn’t the most important thing. The sooner our Christian teenagers learn this golden thread, the better.

Going back to Paul, he said that he gave up all of his Jewish accomplishments for the cause of Christ (Phil. 3:7-11). Looking back, I gladly would have given up all of those great accomplishments to save the souls of some of my friends. I gladly would have given those things up if I had known how important it was to have a 100% spiritual focus. The point is not that High School is completely unimportant. Rather, the point is that those four years are some of the most formative years in our young lives. What we do then will be a good indicator of what we do afterward. As a servant to Christian young people—and Lord willing as a future parent—it is scary to know that misplacing priorities that early in life can lead to much of the same as students grow up.

We as Christians are reeling from that gaudy statistical percentage of how many of our young people are falling away after they leave the home (anywhere from 50% to 75%). One of the ways to lower it is to instill within them that their relationship to God is the most important relationship they are involved in. That’s the point of Proverbs 22:6. Train them correctly when they are young, and they will meet spiritual success when they are old. The only way to ensure the latter clause of that verse is to carry out the first clause.

As we reflect on the monumental task before us, we would do well to remember Paul’s words from verses 12-16 of Philippians 3. “Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus…only let us hold true to what we have attained.” His message to us is “don’t lose ground & keep on gaining ground.” May we do so throughout High School to better secure our spiritual growth beyond those memorable years. May we as adults do all we can to encourage our teenagers in an upward spiritual direction.

Thanks for all the good that is accomplished here at Midway. God bless this week.