A letter to my peers, under pressure

by Hannah Mielke

This is a letter intended for young Christians who are feeling the pressures of the world around them. It is intended to remind them of their sin, but more importantly to remind them of God's love, encouragement and peace.

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My friends,

Thanks to social media, the modern generation is a tight-knit community.  Of course, it can be argued that person-to-person connections have a greater value. This is true; there is a large benefit to talking to someone in person. However, in-person connections are limited by distance and time. Social media allows an opportunity to forge connections with people all around the world. This is great; there is a network of support and encouragement for everyone who may need it.  However, there is a downside. We violate this command: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Ephesians 4:29). I am guilty of this and I know you are as well. It is so easy to let negative and degrading words slip. Maybe to fit in, maybe to blow off some steam – pick your reason. Any words that are spoken, whether in person or online, have the potential to be heard, but social media can make that all the more likely. When words are exchanged in “the real world,” the speakers tend to be more careful of the other person’s feelings. The person is a real, physical, being who is standing before them. That physicality is lost on the Internet, and so it is even more vital to be careful about words that are exchanged through online posts. 

When people are ridiculing you for something your life centers around, it can be hard to respect them.  Respect is a word that applies to every aspect of our lives.  We all know that we should respect our parents and others in authority. However, we sometimes forget just how far that respect should extend. Christ asks us to respect and show honor to those whom we may feel deserve the least respect from us.  We are the tools through with the Spirit changes hearts … and you never know whose heart is about to be softened.

What you say is a big deal. People judge you based on your words. This is especially true when it comes to poor language. You may not mean this intentionally, but people will judge your faith based on the words that come out of your mouth.  So “simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one”(Matthew 5:37).  If your language is filled with cuss words, you will not stick out from the coarse world around you. As Christians, God asks us to stick out, to be different. That difference can be hard. People who are different attract attention and not all that attention is good attention. However, we can face any amount of ridicule because Christ’s love protects us. He never leaves our side, and he sees what we are facing daily. He is pleased to call us his own.  

Right now you are rolling your eyes, because you have heard this all before. I am not the first one to tell you that you are sinful. Every generation looks down on the generation after them. They judge those younger than them in every way possible. It seems like the judgment is especially strong for the youth today.  We have different beliefs than the generation that came before us. God understands those struggles, and he will see you through them. He speaks straight to your soul: “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12).

One of the struggles that young people face every day is anxiety about their lives ahead. More people speaking out about those fears has led to an increased awareness of mental health in young adults. Anxiety is overwhelming and frustrating. God knows that, and he has spoken about it. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).   God understands; Christ promises peace. 

You know those days when your worries are so great that you feel that you are nothing special? Well, guess what?  It is that feeling that makes you special. It’s okay to be a bland person. God took the blank canvas of your life and turned it into a breathtaking piece of art.  Some of my favorite verses in the Bible are these:  “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are” (1 Corinthians 1:27-28).

So don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young. Live in truth and purity.  God will do amazing things with you.