There's Hope For TodaySample

Forget all this talk about teenage independence and individuality. Teenagers are a schooling species – I know – my house is like the Great Barrier Reef.

Since I have three daughters, we seem to attract our fair share of sharks, flounders, barracudas, puffers and groupers (or is that groupies)? Decisions are made by a pilot fish within the school who zigs and zags according to whim. Everybody follows. Purpose and achievement are secondary to “hanging out” and the school doesn’t seem to mind if they swim over the same reef a thousand times.

This meandering school rarely sleeps, with the exception of Sunday morning worship service. They eat anything and everything, being a scavenger species. They love the comforts of the school, often more than the comforts of home. Their greatest fear is to be alone.

When abandoned, they fall prey to a shark or hide among the rocks in fear. Ideally, they move beyond the schooling stage and learn to swim against the current and out of harm’s way. Some never seem to break free, and spend their lives in a weary adolescence.

God help us to help them make the break, lest their God-given beauty be lost in the silvery flash of the school.