“I said, ‘I will guard my ways that I might not sin with my tongue'” (Ps. 39:1).
There was a time when gossip, innuendo and hurt feelings among teenagers were the result of conversation. Now, with the advent of Facebook, Twitter and a host of social media apps, some designed expressly for bullying and gossip, it is difficult for youth leaders to know where teens receive their information and how they feel about their peers. The new age of communication also has brought forth a new age of hurt in which teenagers can pass along information about each other (even photos) that are meant to bash, break and berate.
Savvy youth leaders understand these are the new realities teenagers live with daily. They also may be engaged in berating other students or designing plots to harm.
New discussions about social etiquette and tongue-control are in order. Many teenagers simply do not see the harm in berating another teenager or creating social commentary via an app or social network. It may seem to be fun, but we hear about the aftermath of these realities far too often, and every school and community has its sad stories to tell about teenagers who were berated to the point of breaking.
God help us help teenagers through this maze of misinformation, bullying and berating talk. Helping teenagers see the value in good news and keeping talk uplifting and positive can be one of our great tasks today.
