There's been much media coverage recently about the heroin epidemic among teenagers in Stanwood. I encourage all parents to communicate regularly with their kids about what's going on in their lives, who they're hanging out with, and what they're doing in their free time (especially during the hours of 2:30-5:30PM). Likewise, we need teenagers to communicate with "safe adults" in their lives about what they're seeing and doing in and out of school.
All sorts of factors contribute to teen issues like these, including peer pressure, easy drug availability, lack of parental involvement, etc. I feel strongly, though, that the reason so many teens are hooked on drugs and other "addictions" like peer pressure, sexual activity, and self-harming activities is because they are trying to fill an infinite hole in their hearts which only Jesus Christ can fill. Only when people surrender to the true love and grace that Jesus has for them, and which he has displayed for them through his death and resurrection will they find true rest from their problems and peace in whom God created them to be.
So, how do we introduce hurting teenagers to the only One who can heal their hearts?
First, and most importantly, we must pray for the Holy Spirit of God to move among our teenagers, to encounter and convict them, and to transform them by His power, which is something only He can do. If we try to go out and change the world without humbly asking for the the presence, power, and leading of the Holy Spirit, our efforts are all for nothing. Psalm 127:1 says, "Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain." We need to pray privately and corporately that God would move among our teens and transform them.
Second, we need to share and the show the love of Jesus Christ to these teens and their families. Instead of self-righteously viewing drug users as enemies, we must admit that we ourselves are no better than anyone, that we are all sinners in need of a Savior! As the body of Christ, we need to care for these students and their families through sharing the Good News of Jesus with them verbally, that there is hope for them in Jesus, and by showing them the Good News of Jesus actively through inviting them to church youth group activities, connecting them with caring adults, helping them make new friends who love Jesus, and giving them opportunities to share how they're really feeling and why they're living the way they are. Our current series at CYM is perfect for teens struggling with addictions, as we are watching testimonies from many famous athletes, actors, and musicians who have wrestled with such problems, and have since found peace and transformation in Jesus Christ!
I want to share three concluding thoughts: one is that I don't claim to be an expert on the issue of teen drug abuse, and I don't pretend to know all the specific answers about what strategies will work best for overcoming this problem. Only God knows that, and that's why we need to pray for divine wisdom. While I don't know how/if we can fully solve the secondary issues related to the problem of heroin use in Stanwood, I do know what THE primary answer is: for teenagers and their families to have a life-transforming friendship with Jesus Christ.
Second, we shouldn't naively assume that heroin use is the only major problem among our teens in Stanwood. Granted, it's what's hot on the headlines right now, but there are lots of other worrisome issues among our teens that deserve equal attention, like self-injurious activities, rampant sexual activity, alcohol and other drug abuses, etc. Again, the way to really help our teens is not merely to put a bandage on each of these problems, but to realize that these problems are merely symptoms of a much greater and more dangerous problem: spiritual emptiness.
Third, I encourage parents to continue to be informed about this problem and to participate in community dialogues taking place, like the recent discussion at Stanwood Middle School. The TV show 20/20 recently reported about the problem of heroin use among suburban teens, which you can watch here. (http://abc.go.com/watch/2020/SH559026/VD5594303/teens-hooked-on-heroin) I have not yet watched this, so view it at your own discretion.
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