TEENAGERS TODAY…

They are… Lazy. Immature. Ammoral. Interested only in parties, ipods, video

games, and facebook. Ignorant. Irresponsible.

Are you responsible? Maybe it depends on what we mean by

“responsible”. “reliable: able to be counted on owing

to qualities of conscientiousness and trustworthiness (Encarta)”

This is probably what folks mean when they say teens are irresponsible.

But I want to focus today on another definition of “responsible”.

Are you responsible? “answerable or accountable, as for

something within one's power, control, or management (dictionary.com)”

Are you responsible in this sense? Are you responsible for your actions? For your life?

Are you responsible? Maybe not. The courts may not hold you fully

responsible for your actions until you are 18.

Your parents may not hold you responsible.

Society may say you are the product of your genes and your environment.

But consider this…

Fast Forward Fast forward your life twenty years. Where will you be? What will your life be

like. Will you be happy? What or who will determine the answers

to these questions?

Blame Who will you blame if your life is a wreck? Who will be responsible if your

circumstances are less than desirable? Who will be to blame if you are not the

person you would like to be, morally, intellectually, physically, vocationally?

Mom and Dad? Society? Chance? God?

Blame You may be justified in blaming these

people and circumstances… But what good will that do you?

Yesterday Bad things may have happened to you. Really bad things. And later in your life you may be justified

in blaming them for your troubles. But what good will that do you?

Today If you had the chance to change your

future To improve your life To do something today that would lead to

higher fulfillment tomorrow Would you do it? Then what are you waiting for?

Power Whether you are technically responsible

or not Your actions and decisions today will play

a role in what your life looks like tomorrow…

And what kind of person you are… And whether you find fulfillment. You have the power to change your life… And your future.

Circumstances Your circumstances, past or present, may

be hindrances, burdens, obstacles… To be overcome… Opportunities… To find fulfillment… Challenges… To strengthen you.

Obstacles Your obstacles may be great… Your hurts deep… Your difficulties many… But even if you could only improve your

life a little bit… Wouldn’t it be worth it?

Life Would life be worth living if it were

nothing but misery? No meaning, no fulfillment.

Fulfillment The only reasonable motivation for doing

anything is to increase your own sense of fulfillment.

How do we find fulfillment? Pleasure? Sex? Food? Fun?

Fulfillment Sure. We can find fulfillment in all of

these things, but it is often short lived. There are things that bring sustained

fulfillment. Love. Compassion. Honor. Achievement. Responsibility.

Fulfillment There is the satisfaction of a job well

done… or an obstacle overcome. There is the fulfillment that comes from

liking, being proud of who you have become.

Knowing you fulfilled your duty. Helping others. Improving yourself… Your life.

Fulfillment Can you influence your present and

future level of fulfillment? You sure can.

Tomorrow We need to take a long range view of fulfillment. It is not reasonable to exchange a high level of

long range fulfillment for a little bit of fleeting fulfillment today.

It may be fun to get drunk today… Have sex… Be lazy… Waste your time… But how will that affect your fulfillment

tomorrow… In ten years?

Tomorrow What if, instead… You did what you knew was right… And best in the long run.

Decisions Little choices you make today… Are choices between alternatives… For tomorrow. Choices between greater or lesser fulfillment. Good and evil. They create habits, good or bad… They affect relationships, for better or for

worse… They mold our character, our abilities, our

lives.

Decisions Little choices you make today… Can affect your circumstances… And your character… And your fulfillment… Tomorrow.

Decisions No one wakes up one day and decides to

have a miserable life. It happens one little choice at a time. But you can wake up… And decide to live for fulfillment.

Questions What kind of person do you want to be? What kind of life do you want to live? When you are lying on your deathbed,

what kind of life do you want to look back on?

Live it.

Teenagers Today… Are responsible In that they have the power To choose. To affect their own destinies And chart their own courses Toward fulfillment.

BEGIN TODAY