Mentoring today’s youth,

Tomorrow’s leader

by Isaiah-Phillips Akintola

Introduction

This article is written with the view that it will imprint upon the hearts of today’s contemporary youth, the precise perspective and value standard that enhances a well-balanced life development principles.

Building a proactive attitude towards life will certainly foster a mentality motivated productive vision, purpose and objectives, especially in a world shaped by the contradictions and misguided value system. Seeking to build on a solid foundation of truth should be the core purpose of any youth desiring to make a positive difference with his or her life. 

The issue of navigating the challenge of teenage development in a society driven by an unethical standard of enrichment has continued to hinder the process and progress of our youth.  The Hollywood concept of stardom and heroism, paints a false picture of how life is designed to function within the minds of the young adults.

The craving for identity and acceptance in the society is leading millions into an adventure of extremity and great danger. In the pursuit of self-discovery without the right mentoring competence to help teenagers discern between illusion and reality, many have blindly fallen into the unnecessary trap of deception.

The dysfunctionality of the society through the breaking down of all forms of moral value standards is a wake-up call for all to return to the basis of human dignity, respect and selflessness in helping others achieve their God given destiny.  Crimes related to youths are committed based on being pressurized to prove or defend their allegiance.  In other words, the challenge of self-acceptance has continued to push innocent youths into the Broadway of self-destruction. When we directly or indirectly create a false image that says, it is fine to be controlled and manipulated by stronger forces like media propaganda, we lay the base for a powerful spirit of deception and delusion within the minds of teenagers.  The media can be a powerful tool in influencing and shaping the development of teenager’s lives if they allow more programs that promotes moral value content.

The battle of identity

Not knowing who you are, and what you have been pre-designed to accomplish here on earth could be very frustrating in a society where everyone is seeking to clone you into his or her desired purpose. Originality is a powerful weapon all youth need to arm themselves in order to break the pressure of identity crisis. Life can be full of fun and exciting if only we have the precise blueprint to how we have been divinely designed by to the creator himself to live and function here on earth.

Most people are still struggling with the fundamental question of who am I? Where do I come from? Why am I here? Why was I born a girl or boy? Why did a single parent raise me? Is it ok to be gay or a lesbian?  Which is the right religion of all the various religions in the world? Where do I go when I die? These are some of the questions in the minds of most teenagers they need answers. Becoming an adult in a world where the boundary lines between right and wrong, good and evil is almost non-existing makes it even more difficult for youngster to get the precise answer to their question, which invariably affects their ability to make well-informed decisions in life.

The scarcity of visionary leaders {matured and resourceful humans} in our time, has grossly affected the succession plan of leading the next generation.  It is important that I emphasis here that what is needed now is not another leadership training program, as important as it is. The youth of this generation needs men and women with whom they can relate their daily challenges. This is what I call a true leader, not people with the right information ‘knows how’ of leading, yet completely detach themselves from the challenges the youths. No theoretical training program can replace your direct involvement.

The objective

One of the objectives of this material is to awaken and motivate parents, mentors and other relevant stakeholders in the assigned responsibility of building the right platform of dialogue, motivating and intervening in the complex challenges of growing up and developing the necessary human ethical system. The issue of ethical, moral value cuts across boundaries, racial and cultural standards, traditions, religious belief and gender. Having said this, this article is solidly built on the philosophy of Christ teaching. Our Lord’s teaching speaks to both parents and youth on how they can strategically triumph over the various forms of dysfunctional upbringing.

Throughout the scripture, we see the pattern and method he used in dealing with issues of identity crisis, rejection, fear and compromise. His life and ministry represents the blueprint of breaking barriers and limitation society places on youths.  We can confidently source vision, motivation, courage, and direction of his pattern of existence.

In navigating the complex challenges of youth life, you need to precisely connect to the core values and standards that enhance development and productivity at all levels.   Arguably, King Solomon is accepted to be one of the greatest Kings Israel ever produced. History records his groundbreaking architectural achievements. His insight, wisdom and profound understanding of poetry and nature are compared to none.

King Solomon was known for is his exceptional insight to human philosophy.  Reading the book of proverbs and songs of Solomon will immediately give grasp of the well of knowledge the Lord endowed him with.  If anyone has the first-hand experience and authority to directly speak into the life of humans, especially the young people today, it will definitely be King Solomon.  Solomon is seen as the typology of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament.

Eccl 12:1-3

Solomon 12:1

Don’t let the excitement of being young cause you to forget about your Creator. Honor him in your youth before the evil years come-when you will no longer enjoy living. 2 It will be too late then to try to remember him when the sun and light and moon and stars are dim to your old eyes, and there is no silver lining left among your clouds. 3 For there will come a time when your limbs will tremble with age, your strong legs will become weak, and your teeth will be too few to do their work, and there will be blindness too. TLB

Unfolding stages

The human life unfolds in various stages, each stage, from the cradle to the old age comes with highly complex and challenging personality shifts. These shifts require a well-balanced spiritual and psychological knowledge in handling the transition.  It is exciting to discover that key leaders in the field of neurosurgery are aggressively exploring and discovering new dimensions in the field of human personality traits that proves that the human soul is the central point of behavior. Leaders in this field, are not only acknowledging the existence of the human soul, outside the independence of the brain, but are also connected their present findings to ancient biblical truth that precisely defines the soul as the core formation of all human personality.

This is great because psychology, as we know it today, based most of its studies, theories and findings on the mere observation of the fallen {sinful} human nature, which most time is predictable under extreme pressure and circumstance. In other words, when you put humans no matter how well trained under certain emotional or physical pressure, they tend to show their true color, to define people through this narrow view is to undermine the true definition of human being. This inaccurate foundation of discovering the nature of man has hampered how humans see themselves and the society in the general.

The accurate biblical study of man and his behavioral pattern gives a broader spectrum of human nature, which clearly gives precise and accurate definition of his complex nature and the way of redemption. Moving from the past myopic perception of human nature is definitely redefining the platform of studying humanity, especially teenagers and youths alike.

King David certainly understands this limitation of the fallen human nature. In his Godly wisdom, he was able to discern the sinful nature of all humans. There is no way we can begin to tackle the challenge of today’s youth without identifying the foundational dysfunctionality of man. Ps 51:5-6: Surely, I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. 6 Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. NIV

Children are born into the world innocent but not sinless. In other words, the fallen human nature affects the child’s perspective as he or she grows up if parents are not spiritually aware of this inherent fallen nature. Shaping the destiny of a child is beyond giving all the good things of life. Laying the proper definition of behavior is the first and most important value any child need as the foundation for the development. The responsibility of educating and imparting the necessary values and ethical standards in children builds within them the ability to be disciplined and independent.

 Every child is born with the intuition of expecting to be love and care for. When this inherent assignment of nurturing is ignored or not properly carried out by a parent, it affects the Childs emotional balance and intelligence. This further impend the personality development of the child, which might later lead to socially dysfunctional behavior if not corrected in time.

The mission of parents as caregivers is to imprint the nature of love and self-discipline that enhances the child personality character when facing life-intimidating challenges. This is what David was passing across to us as followers of the way of truth. Growing in this new season as a teenager will require you to seek biblical values and principle that will not only accelerate your development, but that can also give you the necessary prophetic insight to navigate these invisible potholes waiting for you.

The process of development

Developing the right vision and the capacity to advance in the midst of contradictory models, we need a clear spiritual sight to comprehend how the Lord intends life to be lived. Life, which include yours cannot be lived as you deem fit, it must be in accordance to divine order. Just as various stages of human development carry a specific assignment, so is the stage of being a youth.   Being a youth is a calling from God, just as being a father, mother or teacher is all callings with specific assignments. These categories of human life, helps in imparting values that enhances precise development at every stage of human development.

A calling from biblical definition is a specific vision {agenda} with clear objectives to be fulfilled by individuals. What I am saying is your youthfulness is not just another stage of existence without purpose. Your teenage season carries a mission that requires your energy, adventure, lifestyle and the ability to be resourceful. These abilities and potential requires a person with the right leadership capacity in helping to train and deploy great human resource in various area of the society.

The three Hebrew boys in the Bible were born free in their homeland until they were taking captive, some at the age of 17 to Babylon, where they had to prove to a godless society, their faith, love and hope in the God of their Fathers. The society is the stage or theater you are given the opportunity to display what you believe, value and appreciate, regardless of the opinion.

Showing forth the knowledge of the glory of God in a pervert and a wicked world is a core purpose for all youths.  If you are in your youth stage, you must clearly understand the pressures and dynamics of such stage, less you miss you are advantage learning of some very vital truth as you become more responsible.  Your season as a youth is one that characterize the revelational knowledge of the Lord according to this Eccl 12:1-3