Can Jesus calm The perfect storm in our schools?

The conjunction of diabolical assaults on our children includes vices that are individually deadly. In a battle with assault from multiple attack axes, our students have only one place to turn.

•      Drugs and alcohol have long been a threat to the physical and mental health of adolescents. These days, drugs are so pervasive and readily available that some school districts are allowing students to bring Naloxone to school.

•      Sexual activity has long been part of the social scene. Despite the well-understood consequences of STD’s and unplanned pregnancy, teens have long since abandoned the traditional mores of reserving it for marriage. The new enemy assaults:

•      “Gender dysphoria” is now used as a pretext for allowing teens to mutilate themselves before they are old enough to even understand what they are doing. And politicians and activists are quickly enshrining this as a legal right, that prevents parents from protecting their minor children.

•      Social media creates a social environment far beyond immediate peers to put pressure on teens to do things, or feel depressingly failures if they don’t.

•      Social media pressure goes far beyond the dating scene. Far beyond traditional peer pressure (talking to those nearby), in virtually every dimension of life, children, adolescents, young adults are made to feel they are failures if they don’t live out or live up to some influencer’s urging. So they either do stupid things (or worse), or feel depressed because they don’t, or set impossible goals that result in feeling like failures because they can’t achieve them.

 Where is Jesus? He is beside every person, calling each to Himself. Because what the world needs now is love, sweet love, it’s the only thing there’s just too little of.  Teens need real love.

 The nexus of the perfect storm is that Satan has a strategy to so overwhelm the rising generation that they cannot recognize and respond to the gospel when presented. Satan was actually defeated 2,000 years ago, and is fighting a rearguard action. The power of God, moving through the Holy Spirit, can overcome all of these attacks, the lies and temptations that Satan uses, through the blood of Jesus Christ and the invocation of His Name. The power of God can open the eyes of anyone whose heart is open, overcoming drug addiction, sexual perversion, and social media. When Peter saw Jesus walking on the water and asked to join Him, Jesus empowered Peter to walk on water. When he was out there and saw the wind and the waves, he started to sink and called on Jesus to save him. And Jesus did.  (Matthew 14:25-33) When people respond to Christ in faith, and then the storms of life frighten and seem overwhelming, He will save them when they call on Him. He is able.

 There is a glorious eternity awaiting anyone who will call on Jesus - a true Edenic paradise on a new earth, and a glorious celebration in heaven. No more pain. No more sickness. No more death. Eternal love. Jesus’ love is not waiting for that day, He is calling each person now to His loving embrace.