Taking a Stand in a Troubled World

We live in a world that is not always friendly to or accepting of Christians. Some of us are challenged in the workplace, by our friends or even family members. Our teens (and sometimes younger kids) also face challenges from friends, the teens in the neighborhood or in school. (Sometimes those challenges come from Christian schools as well as public schools.)

We want our teens to take a stand, to be firm in their beliefs and to be strong in their faith, but sometimes they are unsure how to go about it and so they don’t say anything. Other times they speak up, but do so in the wrong way.

As a leader or parent, talking this out with them, role playing, sharing our own experiences and discussing ways to react when someone (especially a teacher) says something they disagree with can help them speak with confidence.

Here are some things to encourage your teens to remember. (This would be a good group discussion.)

1. Encourage teens to be polite.  (Ephesians 4:29) When a teacher says something disrespectful, sometimes the easiest way to react is by saying something equally disrespectful or to yell back in anger. But kids need to know that rudeness will not help them gain an audience. If the teacher has a rule about not interrupting a lecture, that includes everyone no matter how much you disagree with what’s being said.

Discuss with the teens ways to calmly respond. A good point to remember – start with a compliment. “Mr. Green, the way you explained the poet’s lifestyle was interesting, however, I came to a different conclusion than you did. May I present it?”

Our words are to fit the occasion and give grace to those who hear.

2. Encourage teens not to argue.  (Ephesians 4:31) We’re to let all wrath, anger and clamor be put away from us.  We need to tell our teens that it is easy to get very angry, and start an argument worthy of a major debate, but that’s not helping you. The teacher will always win an argument and arguing will not help your testimony.

Remind teens to state the facts calmly and thank the teacher for allowing them to present them.

3. Teach teens to be confident. Remember Joshua 1:9? We are to be strong and have courage and that goes for your teens, too.  Emma, a teen from our church, was a quiet, but good student. She often disagreed with the teacher’s lectures on evolution and would raise her hand and state her own views based on the Bible. She always did so politely and with respect. At the end of the semester, she was surprised to see that she had received an A. Why? Because the teacher was impressed that a student was actually thinking about the subject matter.

But it disagreeing doesn’t always have a happy ending. A sophomore, in a similar situation, received a lower grade because the teacher didn’t like it that he had differing views. Kids need to know that not all teachers will take kindly to their disagreement.

4. Encourage teens to be the best possible students they can be. No teacher will take the teen seriously if she gets her work in late, doesn’t make an effort to study for tests and does sloppy work. A mom proudly showed me her daughter’s paper she had written for a sociology class at school. “She wrote it all about different religions,” the mom proudly told me. “and was able to give her testimony.” Unfortunately, the paper had several typos, including the world religion which she used 24 times in the paper – every single one spelled incorrectly.

5. Teach teens to take advantage of every opportunity. In 2 Timothy 4:2, we read that we are to be ready in season and out of season. Case in point, when Jake’s teacher said he would like to have community religious leaders come in and talk to the class, Jake told him he knew his pastor would be willing. The teacher agreed and so along with the Rabbi, the Hindu, the Buddhist monk, Jake’s pastor was able to present the Bible to the class.

6. Encourage teens to be consistent. 1 John 3:18 tells us that we are not only to speak what we believe, but to live it. The right words will not counteract wrong behavior. Teachers watch. “Is the student who claims to be a Christian and is so quick to disagree with my lectures the same student who is mean to the new kid, who cheated on his last test, who angrily pushed someone in the hallway?”

Teachers observe kids. They know. They know which ones are helpful, which ones don’t make fun of others in the class, which ones put forth effort in their work.

Yes, it’s easy for teens to get discouraged when not only the kids, but the teacher laughs at their faith, but the Lord is with them each and every day. He understands what it’s like to be mocked and He is there with the teen to give her courage and strength.

Encourage your teens, not only by your words, but by how you live your own life.