CHRISTIAN WORKERS’ CLINIC The secret ef success with youth
by Paul W h a t c a n w e do to understand young peo ple better? Here are several suggestions. First, a good way is to read about them. My daughter is fifteen but she reads the magazine, “ Seventeen.” I picked up her copy recently and received the shock of my life. Featured was an arti cle on the new morality. The young people were encouraged to live by these “ new standards” and to participate in immorality. I must confess that I could not wait until I could have a heart-to-heart talk with my daughter and straighten out these matters. I gained real insight by reading one of the magazines that is slanted toward our young people. Frequently magazines such as Life and Look run series of articles on young people. These are a must for those who would work successfully with youth. Another suggestion which will help us to under stand better the NOW generation is to listen to them. We need to keep good lines of communica tion open to them. To do this we will have to make ourselves available to them. Many teenagers are finding it almost impossible to converse with their parents. Life magazine told o f a 17-year-old boy who said, “My father works 15 hours per day. When he comes home at night, he settles into his easy chair and turns the TV set on. I try to talk to him and he goes to sleep!” What a wonderful opportunity God has given to us to be a friend
L. Dirks to the young people God has entrusted to us. But if we are to be successful, we must be available to listen to them. A third means by which we can understand our youth better is to pray for them. Wise teachers keep notebooks with a page for each boy or girl. Information on the page may include birthdate (everyone likes to be remembered on his birthday), father’s (and mother’s) occupation, and special interests and ambitions. Then each day one or more of these souls for whom Christ died can be re membered before God’s Throne o f Grace in prayer. What a wonderful opportunity and blessing this is ! The writer remembers a junior high girl who came to camp one summer. She was completely withdrawn and very unhappy. It took several days for her counselor to get her to open up and talk. Then the girl told her the problem. Her parents had just separated and she said she was so em barrassed over it that she did not know what to do. That day this junior high girl came to know Christ as Saviour. The counselor and the girl began to pray for the home situation. Weeks later, after many long distance telephone calls and prayers, the young girl called to say that her parents were back together again! She said, “ Isn’t God wonder ful? I love Him and I love you.” God answered the prayers of a concerned teenager and a friend ly, interested adult counselor. KB
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