Â鶹Éç

Available for over a year

2020 is not a great year to be a young person and sometimes only dark humour will do. Yesterday a 16 year old pointed out to me a one-liner that’s making its way round social media. Does this mean ACDC can go back to being ABBA now? Yesterday’s policy change on exam grades will have lightened the mood for many, though there are still plenty of complicated issues to resolve for everyone involved in education – teachers and students alike. But I for one am still very glad that I am no longer a teenager. Not only have they just been caught up in the midst of the most enormous political row, but other aspects of their lives have been subject to enforced change. Schools have been closed. Time with friends has been curtailed. Groups and associations have been shut down, and holidays cancelled. What all this must ram home for our young people is their powerlessness. Again and again they are the victims of the decisions of others, decisions that they have no power to determine or change. Again and again the contribution that they can make appears to be overlooked. Thankfully – yesterday – their collective voice was heard. In the times when the books of the Bible were written, young people had even less of a voice than they do today. Nonetheless it’s interesting to see how often they make themselves noticed. I think of the young Daniel who had the courage to stick with the food laws of his faith despite the stern disapproval of the royal household. Or Esther who had the craft and intelligence to persuade the mighty King Ahasuerus to rescue a beleaguered Jewish community who were facing extinction. Or the boy in St John’s Gospel who ignores the mockery of the disciples to offer his packed lunch as a meal for 5000. All these young people were eventually heard. They made a rich contribution. They brought about change. And they did that because at length the adults realised they had something unique to offer. My heart goes out to the young people who have had to live with all the uncertainty of recent days. Maybe though, when we reflect back, this crisis will have been a time when we learnt to value our young people afresh and realised anew the critical importance of building the spaces where we can listen to them properly. The actions of Daniel and Esther helped to build a nation. The generosity of the boy helped to build the Church. Maybe as we rebuild our nation post-COVID, it can be one where the voices of the young are heard and heeded, their wisdom taken seriously, their rich contribution to society cherished.