There’s nothing like being the father of three cute blonde-haired girls under five to attract attention down the street. The comments range from “you’ll have to beat the boys off with a stick” to “you’d better start saving for three weddings now”. Perhaps the sad­dest comment we receive is “enjoy them while they’re young, because once they’re older they’ll be trouble”. The message is out. Be afraid, be very afraid. Your children will become “teenagers”. Expect the worst!

Sometimes you’ll find a similar attitude in the church. The average congregation knows what to do with children, but when it comes to teenagers, help! Which is a little surprising. At times teenagers may seem like they’re from a different planet but we’ve all had to face those “in-between years” ourselves, even if the memory may be fading a bit.

What then should be our attitude toward young people? The Scriptures have much to teach us. But first a word of cau­tion. The Bible does not confine its atten­tion to our moderns categories of adoles­cence or teen years. The same Hebrew word is flexible enough to include Moses at three months, Samuel as a child under the care of Eli, to Joseph as a 17-year-old and Joshua as a young adult in the service of Moses. The other references to youth also have a flexibility about them.

A Hebrew boy was recognised as enter­ing manhood at 13 years of age. It’s not cer­tain when this practice began but it was widespread by New Testament times. A boy of 13 became a “son of the law”. From that age he could qualify to become one of the 10 men who could constitute a synagogue.

Although recognised as an adult, there was still a long period of transition to full adult responsibility. Under the Old Testament law, a young man did not enter military service until 20 years of age (Num. 1:3). Levites began their duties at the tabernacle even later, at 25 (Num. 8:23), pre­sumably as assistants until they took up full responsibilities from 30 (Num. 4:30).

The picture of youth in the Old Testament combines the twin themes of youthful exuberance and growing maturity. The playfulness of youth and the call to be wise are not mutually exclusive. The wise teacher in Ecclesiastes commends both. He offers the following advice to the young: “Be happy, young man, while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth” (11:9). Within the same breath he reminds the young to remember their Creator in the days of their youth (12:1). God will call them to account for the wisdom or foolishness of their actions.

In the lead up to the Olympic Games there is incredible pressure on our young athletes. The worlds of tennis, swimming and gymnastics are littered with disillu­sioned champions who peaked and then crashed while still teenagers. What would a wise coach advise his young charges? A recurring theme from older and wiser ath­letes is to enjoy the moment. Put in the hard work but don’t lose the sense of enjoyment in what you do.

How would we advise this generation of youth, who face incredible pressures? The advice is there in Scripture. Grow in wis­dom and maturity. Put the effort into your education, your work and ministry but don’t forget to enjoy it. It is a time of tran­sition. As parents, and as a church, we need to avoid the dual dangers of expecting too much from our young people or expecting too little.

The moderns emphasis on teenage rebel­lion and angst has coloured our under­standing of youth. All too often adoles­cence becomes a stage of life to endure or survive. Without denying the sense of alien­ation and despair many young people expe­rience, we must take seriously the biblical perspective. The time of youth is intended as a gift from God. It is a time of dramatic change, physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually.

While these changes bring their pres­sures and uncertainties, it is still a time to be embraced and enjoyed. It is a time to cele­brate the goodness of our Creator. Even the trials of youth are an opportunity to grow into adulthood with a firm trust in the Lord. This may sound idealistic in the face of the moderns world. But the world of Ecclesiastes is not as far removed from our world as we might think.

The time of youth is often a time when God stirs the hearts of young men and women. That was certainly the case at a number of strategic moments in the history of Israel.

Joseph, Samuel, David, Josiah, Daniel and Mary are prime examples. To them we can add Timothy in the early church. They experienced the call of God as young peo­ple. Their hearts were open to the work of God in the days of their youth. He used them mightily.

Jesus himself experienced the transition through youth. The one incident that is recorded in the Gospels is his visit to Jerusalem at 12. In Luke chapter 2 you can sense the anxiety of Mary and Joseph des­perately searching for Jesus in Jerusalem. They found him sitting among the teach­ers. His response confused them. Where else did they expect him to be! It was quite obvious to Jesus. He was in his Father’s house. Although Jesus exercised his inde­pendence on that occasion, Luke records that he returned to Nazareth and was obe­dient to them. God was at work during those years.

The time of youth is also a time for which we are called to account. Our course is set for the future. The Teacher of Ecclesiastes writes to the young: “follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment” (Ecc 11:9).

This accountability is a good thing. Without accountability there is no sense to life. If it doesn’t matter what you do, why do anything? Life becomes meaningless. When young people cannot see a future with any meaning, what reason is there to live? Isn’t that a major cause of despair among youth today!

The biblical concept of accountability is at odds with the predominant world view today. I was leading a discussion on The Simpsons with a group of teens. One of the characters was involved in an immoral rela­tionship that broke up. When asked about the consequences of that relationship the group said on mass: “you just learn from it and move on”. That is the spirit of our age. There is little recognition of accountability for our actions or lasting consequences, let alone eternal consequences.

The Old and New Testaments back up their recognition of accountability with many promises and commands specifically directed to the young. There are passages that cover the breadth of a young person’s relationship with God (Psalm 103:5, 119:9, Joel 2:28-29), issues of personal character (2 Tim 2:22, Titus 2:6) and relationships with others (Prov 1:8-9, 1 Peter 5:5, 1 Tim 4:12).

The first seven chapters of Proverbs are practical advice from a father to his son. What are the big issues he addresses? Much the same ones that apply to youth today: the need for wisdom for living, purity in relationships, good companions, a heart that is sensitive to God and an attitude to life that takes eternity into account.

The Scriptures reveal God’s heart for young people. If God has a heart for youth, it’s fairly obvious we should too. But what’s a parent to do who is feeling battered and bruised? Eugene Peterson in his book Like Dew Your Youth, addresses that situation. His main point is this. Don’t see adolescence as a problem to solve or a stage to get through. See it as a “gift”, not just for the adolescent but the parent. That may not be the first thought that enters a parent’s mind when confronted by a door-slamming 15­ year-old daughter or a defiant 16-year-old son.

Adolescents are in the process of growing up. Their growing up spills out all over the place. Peterson describes adolescence as God’s gift to parents who may at that stage in their life be in danger of being arrested in their growth. The adolescent provides a challenge to the parent, testing their love, chastening their hope and pushing their faith to the edge. All the spiritual realities that may have become a little hackneyed and trite suddenly come at them with full force, demanding a response and requiring participation.

Parents are forced to grapple with issues that might otherwise have been purely aca­demic. Their faith and life are put under the scrutiny of someone at very close quarters. It may seem like a trial. But then is that not God’s way? Through trials he refines our faith.

Adolescents are also a gift to the church. Young people provide a fresh vision of the church that adults may lack. We distance ourselves from young people and ignore their insights at our peril. Part of the reason young people have a fresh insight is because they don’t have the long-range responsibil­ities and vested interest in things as they are. Once you’re caught up in the struc­tures of the church, it’s harder to express some feelings and consider some ideas. I know that myself.

Once you’re in leadership there is much more at stake. However, when young peo­ple challenge what we think or the way we do things, they may just be God’s gift to us rather than a problem to solve. There is nothing like young people in a church to shake our complacency.

What of young people themselves? It’s crucial they have a heart for each other. Christian young people are the best people to reach their own generation of youth. They understand them. They share their world. We can help them to have a vision to reach their generation for the Lord. We can motivate them through our own example. We can equip them to share their faith. We can pray for them and encourage them, not at a distance but up close. Even if you only have contact with one young person, you can make a difference in his or her life.

Do you have a heart for youth? God does! Let’s show that heart.