Tough Love

Over the past 2 years I’ve been consumed with this desire to help the people coming behind me to go further in life than I have. In order to do this I cannot turn a blind eye to their mistakes. I’m a pretty sensitive soul so I try my best not to hurt people’s feelings but there are some behavior that just grinds my gears, especially when it’s being displayed by those whose future I am invested in. I feel like I”m always trying to save young people from themselves and usually they end up hating me for it. Telling a young person not to give into the temptation of a wild and reckless lifestyle because of its long term consequences sounds to them like I’m trying to stop their fun while I’ve already had mine. Reporting the dangerous online behavior of a teenage to their parent or guardian immediately makes me public enemy No. 1. I won’t say that I don’t care when a youth that I”m trying to help guide ends up hating or resenting me…it hurts. I know that my intentions are good. I simply want them to have the very best life they could have, not one that’s  marred with abuse, addictions, stolen innocence and purity, defiled and compromised minds or ravaged bodies. My methods are not always the most tactile or comfortable for those I’m attempting to help but usually it’s because I see immediate danger ahead. When I have the time to teach, I like to lay out the reasons why a life of purity and holiness is ultimatelyin their own best interests. When I don’t have the time to teach then I have to go with a “prevention is better than cure” method and get them out of immediate danger. Imagine watching a 15 year old girl step in front of a speeding 18 wheeler that’s just a few minutes away from hitting her. Should I stand on the the sidewalk and explain to her how injured she could get? Should I go over the odds of this 18-wheeler fatally crushing her body? Am I going to tell her how many deaths per year result from auto accidents involving trucks of this kind? NO! I’m going to get her out of the way! Even if it means catching her in a running tackle and rolling her to safety, scrapes and all. In the same likeness, I see a lot of behavior by our young people that could result in their immediate destruction. When I see it, I go for the running tackle. Their feelings may get scraped and hurt in the process; I myself may get bruised and battered by doing it but if we both come out alive with no life-changing/threatening injuries, it’s worth it.