Teens provide reminders

By Mia Pohlman

I'd like to take some time to praise a group who I think are some of the coolest people around: teenagers.

This past semester, I've had the privilege of working as a student teacher, learning from and with juniors and seniors in high school. My students never cease to amaze me with their insight, creativity and hilarity -- they are truly good people who want good in the world.

As they are made in the image of God, my students reveal to me many characteristics of our Father. They remind me God has a hilarious sense of humor and likes to laugh. They remind me God is earnest and seeks us, that God wants us to know the truth. They remind me God calls us out when we're not being authentic or when we go back on our word. They remind me God chose to become vulnerable, to make his way in the world. Their focus on acceptance reminds me of how deeply God desires our acceptance of him and his love, to transform our lives.

My students also remind me of the grace God has for us. In his book "In The Middle: The Adolescent Brain, Behaviour, and Learning," Michael C. Nagel makes the point when small children risk taking their first step and then fall down, we don't yell at them; we encourage them and help them get back up. This is how we should also view adolescents' missteps, he argues.

The ways in which adolescents "fall down" may look different from a small child's failing to stand, but they are developmentally similar; adolescents are experiencing many aspects of life for the first time, and therefore have no prior experience to compare their current situations. Thus, they have no personal models for how to react in situations, except for those they've observed from adults, movies and social media; everything is trial and error. Add to this the fact the part of their brains controlling critical thinking is not yet fully developed, while the part of their brains controlling emotions is fully formed and raring to go, and I don't know how someone couldn't be amazed by the complex waters these people navigate everyday.

I've witnessed many moments this past semester that make me proud of teenagers' growth on a daily basis: a student choosing to have grace rather than fighting another student; a student taking up the challenge to share her brilliant ideas with others in class more often, in response to an assignment to live deliberately; students choosing to view issues from other perspectives and practice gratitude and respect.

Teenagers want to get it right; they just need caring people modeling for them how to do so, and holding them to high standards.

To all the teenagers out there, thank you for being who you are -- you are brave. As 1 Timothy 4:12 (NAB) says, "Let no one have contempt for your youth, but set an example for those who believe, in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity." Keep being who you are, and keep working for good. Yes, sometimes life is difficult, but remember, life is a process, and you're getting there.

Just before the bell rings each day, I tell my students: Thank you for being here today. The world needs you.