The Innocence of Youth is Lost

I was watching Prime News on Headline News tonight, and was mortified by some of the stories I saw. One of them was two thirteen year old girls fighting over shorts. Full on fist fight, tackle to the ground fist fighting. Were the parents around to stop it? A mom, grandfather, and several other adults were not only there, but they filmed it. In the video, when the girls broke it up, they were heard yelling "round two, get back in there", and things like that. Then, the video was posted on youtube. (The adults in the video were eventually charged.) The next story was about a 12 year old autistic boy who was attacked by three 13 and 14 year old boys. They boy stood there, because he couldn't process what was being done to him, and took punch after punch, kick after kick. All while other kids were video taping it, yes for youtube, and still other kids, laughing at him.

Although these were severe cases, they are a startling look at the fact that innocence is lost in today's youth. I see this everyday with my own 13 year old. My wife and I correct his behavior and his attitude, but we are fighting a losing battle. While we try to instill good, moral, behavior and decision making, it is being undone the minute he watches tv, gets online, or gets around other kids. His reason for not changing his bad attitude and behavior- because if he becomes a "goody goody" as he puts it, he'll have no friends. People will walk all over him, and he'll be a target. How sad is that. I have to tell you, after seeing some of the things today's youth does, and says, and watches, and how they act, I would be ok with him not having friends. This is all a really good argument for homeschooling. Today's youth seems to be all about themselves. Lacking kindness, generosity, and respect. Perhaps we created this with our need to have mentality, and our immediate gratification society. Where are the strong fathers, setting good examples and behaviors? Where are the strong role models? I don't mean to generalize, but where are the good kids??? Where are the kids longing to make a difference in the world? Where are the kids wanting to live above the crap and garbage our world is peddling? I don't mean to generalize, but are they out there??? Teen pregnancy is on the rise for the first time in decades. Drug use is on the rise. Teen drinking is on the rise. It is scary.

I love kids, and always have. I have always been an advocate. Most of my ministry has been to kids and youth. It absolutely breaks my heart to see our youth in such a state. I will continue to fight for my kids, teaching them to be good, moral people, no matter how different that makes them. I will continue to pray for all of today's youth, they need it. And to anyone with kids and teens in their lives, reward good and moral behavior. Show them that is what matters. Be examples of that kind of living to them. It is hard, but it pays off, and I know for me and my wife, we with four kids, we have a lot at risk.