Let me state the obvious:
What we believe has a huge impact on how we treat others.
While this does seem painfully evident, I believe we have a very practical problem that largely goes unseen and unaddressed: Many of our youth today don’t know what they believe.
There are likely many reasons for this (perhaps another good conversation for another time) but it seems there is little time and attention being given to these deeper questions of belief in our society today. We are a culture consumed with talk of mental health, social health, and physical health – all incredibly important and subjects we talk to our youth about all the time – but is it possible that all of these are connected to our spiritual health and the narratives or beliefs that are foundational to our character?
For the developing adolescent, an undeveloped belief system leads to several instabilities. Here are just a few:
1. Our identity is inevitably connected to our beliefs and values. Without giving time and attention to the exploration of our beliefs, we can genuinely stunt a young person’s ability to fully form their understanding of self, of others, and the world around them.
2. Of the many anxieties our youth are experiencing today, the rate at which they are receiving information is outpacing the rate at which they can make sense of this information. Add to this a lack of framework (pre-established beliefs and values) for processing all this information, it is little wonder so many of our youth are feeling overwhelmed.
3. Having a sense of purpose and meaning is one of the most fundamental human desires. In its greatest simplicity, the question we’re all asking is, “Does my life matter?” Let me assure you that every teenager on some level is asking themselves this question … and it is not a superficial question at all. Having foundational answers is far superior to shooting from the hip.
4. Our beliefs and values connect us to others. They help us develop a sense of belonging and help us discern the affinity we share with others. They also help us understand how we are different from others and how we treat those who are different than us. Once again, not having a developed (or even developing) belief system hinders our ability to genuinely connect with others.
I know that for many of us, we have been taught that beliefs are very personal and that we should keep them to ourselves. No one likes having beliefs pushed on them, and quite frankly, neither do I. But is there space, treating each other with dignity and respect, to explore our beliefs together? Since they are so vital – so foundational – to how we treat each other as fellow human beings, we must begin to create opportunities for our youth to think hard about what they believe.
As I have said before, one of the foundational beliefs of my faith, as a follower of Jesus, is that every human being on the planet is created in the image of God and therefore, has immeasurable value and worth.
As I drove into work this morning, I consciously took note of people out for morning walks. As I passed by each one, I whispered to myself, “Created in the image of God, completely equal, with immeasurable value and worth.” Though it might sound odd, it was a great reminder that life is not just about me. As I sit here and type, each one of those people have continued on with their day as well. I have no idea what they are doing, but I do know that their life is just as important as mine.
This shapes the way I live and how I treat others.
CLICK BELOW TO PARTICIPATE:
As we explore these things over the coming weeks, I would like to invite your participation in two ways:
- I invite you to dialogue with us and join the conversation. We all learn more in community, so press in, ask questions, challenge assumptions, and let’s take this journey together.
- I invite you to invest in our youth by participating in our Spring Fundraiser. We are on the front lines of serving youth in our community and we are the only dedicated youth drop-in centre in Milton. We are 100% donor funded and all of our funding comes from people like you, who care about community, who care about young people, and who care about the future.
Finally, for those who don’t know us well, RE:SOUL Youth Centre is a faith-based organization and we are a program of Southwestern Ontario Youth for Christ. For some, knowing we are a faith-based organization creates both trust and affinity. However, we also know that for others being faith-based creates both suspicion and aversion. I recognize and understand both responses. However, as we say to the teens all the time at the youth centre, “You don’t have to agree with us to be with us!” So I would simply once again invite you to take the journey with us. We all have much to learn from one another!
Sincerely, and with gratitude,
Michael Burns
Director
RE:SOUL Youth Centre / YFC Milton