Good Teen vs Discipled Teen

I have heard this phrase several times from grandparents or parents of teenagers/young adults: “He’s a good boy, but…” The statement is usually followed by a description of how the teen has made some poor decisions and possibly gotten himself or herself in trouble. If the statement is followed with the young person not being a believer in Christ, then I am not as taken back. However, when it is described of a believing teen I want to say that a good teen does not mean a discipled teen.

Good Teens vs. Discipled Teens

Good teens are everywhere and we applaud their attitudes, goals, accomplishments, and good deeds. I believe this is rightly so, but are the good grades, star athlete, college-bound, job carrying, non-partying, celibate teens the highest standard we set before our youth? How does discipleship influence and become a part of the things mentioned? What happens when these accomplishments are done and that which became their identity is no longer there? I believe the difference between a good teen and a discipled teen is seen. Discipled teens find identity in Christ alone, not in the accomplishments that others expect of them. Professor of Student Ministry at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Richard Ross, gives a great diagram of this issue:

Good Teen	Discipled Teen
I have a great future. Being good will make my future even better.	My sole desire if for Christ to have a great future. To be more famous. To receive more glory. My decisions all have Him as the goal.
I think a lot of myself. I have value. I don’t need to be screwing with my life because I deserve better.	Jesus is worthy of righteousness in my life. His sacrifice for me makes Him worthy. The fact He is God makes Him worthy. The fact I gave Him my life makes Him worthy. THE motivation I have for righteous living is Him.
Parents and other authorities in my life correctly and skillfully used rewards and punishments—such that I now lean toward the good most of the time.	Any righteousness in my life is motivated by gratitude, awe, and adoration far more than any conditioning.
I’ve noticed that there are rewards along the way for those who keep their noses clean. I like rewards in life	I imitate Christ whether it improves my immediate situation or not. Worst case, I desire to think and act as He does even if it costs me my physical life.

Ideally, a discipled youth should look similar to a good youth described in this blog, but they should also exhibit so much more. I think we see this in Scripture with Jesus’ encounter with the “Rich Young Ruler” as he is described in Mark 10:17-22. Here this young man recognizes Jesus as a good teacher and ask a question concerning eternity. Jesus tells this young man that he has kept all the commands, which he admits he has done. Jesus knowing this young man’s heart says you must sell your possessions, implying he is good a keeping the law, but his heart is far from God. His god is his possessions, his accomplishments, and keeping the law (except those first two). It could be fair to say, this young man’s identity is founded in his accomplishments and to find identity in Christ is difficult for him to grasp. Sadly, he walks away with an incomplete faith. How many of our young people walk with an incomplete faith because they are like this young man? They are good a reading their Bibles, serving someone every now and then, coming to church, getting good grades, going to college, but they do not fully know the One who truly completes their life.

I think it is time we begin to evaluate how we understand and gauge our young people today. Life accomplishments are good, but do they follow Christ wholeheartedly? Do we see a desire of Lordship of Christ over our young people instead of what they can get out of life? Christ talks about living life abundantly through Him, thus we must lead our youth to that life abundant. Of course it must also start with us evaluating our own lives.