This isn't exactly a biblical topic, but I think it is quite important. I believe the term "teenager" came about in the 1950's. So it is pretty recent. The term teenager is used to describe someone who is between the age of 13-19. For those of you who have read Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris, This post is going to run along those lines.
It used to be that there were two categories. Child and adult. A person was normally considered a child until he/she hit puberty and started acting like an adult. Often their attire and hairstyle would change, and when adults came to call they would be allowed to visit with them instead of having to go somewhere else. They were also expected to take on adult responsibilities.
Now there are three categories: child, teenager, and adult. A child is still treated like a child. Things they do are excused because "they are just children." An adult is still expected to act like an adult. But a teenager.... well they're considered as irresponsible as children, while not being as naive as children, they can't handle responsibility, they can't handle a job, they're lazy, and the teenage years are considered the hardest time for a parent. Wait a minute..... What happened?
It used to be that when a child hit the teenage years, he/she would be of more help to their parents. And now they're more of a burden? The problem is that people have a fixed view of teenagers. They don't expect them to be any good. Maybe if their expectations were raised, we would rise to meet them?
I have to admit, while I love discussing biblical theology, I despise discussing it with an adult. They immediately assume they they are more knowledgeable then you, and that you are a child who needs to be set straight. low expectations right there. Even in the church! I am a little bit more comfortable discussing it with my youth leaders because I know them well and they know me well. But every time I get in a biblical discussion/debate with a my youth pastor, I am aware that he is not looking at both sides. He can not change his beliefs on a controversial subject because his job could be put in jeopardy. And also, I don't want to seem disrespectful to the adult I'm talking to. Why would they be convinced that their view is wrong by someone who is "just a teenager?"
What I find funny is what people must think of my friend (We'll call her "J") and I. She and I are very close and we go to the same church. When we have sleepovers, we don't talk about hair, makeup or boys, (well not much anyways.) We talk about theology, we talk about church, we talk about femininity and modesty, we discuss where we want to go to college, where we want to live, how we want to raise our future families, ideas on homeschooling etc.
I want to break every low expectation that people have for me and rub it in their face that they were wrong! (Ok... maybe that's not very nice.) I have plans to graduate with a major in home economics when I am 19. I want to get into running start when I'm 15. I don't have low expectations for myself, and I know God doesn't either. He expects the same out of us that he does for adults.
Recently J and I, and 2 other good friends from church were talking about how we feel that we are prolonging adolescence by going to youth group instead of the evening service, and going to HS Sunday school instead of an adult Sunday school. So we did something about it. Three of us (including me) decided to go to an adult Sunday school class instead of the HS Sunday school class, and J and my other two friends decided to go to the evening service instead of youth group. I decided to continue to go to youth group for various reasons that im not entirely sure of myself. lol
~Melody
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