EPHESIANS 6:1
I love my parents! They are the most amazing people in the world. I hang out with them like they are my friends and tell them everything. But I still treat them horribly at times, yelling at them, slamming my bedroom door, or refusing to clean my room. Deep down, I know that everything they tell me or make me do is probably for my benefit, but somehow, since I’m a teenager, I feel like I’m allowed to be messy or rude or irresponsible. Our society has engrained into us that being a teenager has to mean we don’t like to talk to older people, we sleep in until 4 p.m. on Saturdays, and we never have to make our beds. I have been realizing that saying I am a teenager shouldn’t give me an excuse to do or not do anything. It struck me the other day that I am disrespecting the people who pretty much pay for me to live, and, on top of that, I am disobeying God. Maybe instead of telling our friends how annoying our parents are, we can talk about how thankful we are for the things they do.
Katie-Lee Kroeker, 16, home school, Medicine Hat Alberta, CA
Dear Jesus, help me to be better
than the world, to live the way You want
me to rather than the way society expects.
I know I will be happier if I do.