Being a Christian in High School

By Amanda Fox
Special to MidlandsLife

For the Christian teenager, the experience of high school is a microcosm of the broader world in terms of the interaction between believer and nonbeliever. The difference being in high school there is often a stark divide – with all of its uplifting, sometimes uncomfortable variables – between the two. It is a divide that is starkly perceptible, prevalent, and at times painful.

The divide is starkly perceptible in that one easily recognizes through conversation who is and who is not a Christian. It’s prevalent in that it’s nearly impossible to escape the divide and the variables. It’s painful in that I sometimes feel I am viewed in a less-than favorable light because of my beliefs and my willingness to express them. Yet I too catch myself judging others all the same.

I am not alone in my experience. But that’s alright, and after all, Billy Graham, who, like me, has faced the daily struggles of being a Christian in the secular world, says, “Being a Christian is more than just an instantaneous conversation. It’s a daily process whereby you grow to be more and more like Christ.”

Generally speaking, it’s easy to perceive who is and is not a Christian through conversation. There are some kids in high school who simply have no faith nor do they see the necessity of it. There are others who harbor a bit of disdain toward Christians. There are still others who claim to be believers, but their lifestyles speak otherwise. Whether they be at parties or sometimes football games where they are drinking or doing drugs, it is obvious their faith is not their number one priority. There are also some people who say they are devoted Christians, but based on their actions, I don’t think they really have God in their heart.

For some, like me, this may be troubling. Though it should not be. After all, who am I to judge? God loves us all and views us equally.

Being a Christian in high school is prevalent in that it’s always present in my life, and the dynamics of the divide are hard to escape. Some of my closest high-school friends are Christians, but there are also those friends I am less close-to who may or may not be Christians. So I am constantly surrounded by an array of people whose faith or lack thereof I am unsure of. Being a Christian in high school is also prevalent in the unexpected ways, or the daily temptations I am faced with like the compulsion to succumb to peer-pressure or to harshly and unfairly judge others.

Being a Christian in high school is at times painful. At school I want to share my faith with others and introduce them to God. But this is sometimes tough because I don’t want to be known as a “Jesus freak” or “that crazy Christian girl.” So instead I try to show my faith to others through my example rather than my words. Instead of telling people about God, I try to offer encouragement and perhaps a measure of affection to those who – like all of us – need it. “Actions speak louder than words but not nearly as often,” said Mark Twain.

So how do I come to grips with all of this? I love the Lord. I want to do – and be in – His will. But sometimes it seems a daunting task; more than I believe I am capable of handling. But then I am reminded of Philippians 4:13, which says, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” And so in that reminder, I know I must trust. It’s as simple as that. Trust. After all, it is not up to me to change others. And if I’m to be viewed in a way that makes me a little uncomfortable at times, so be it. Christ said, “If the world has hated Me, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you [John 15:18].” I also take comfort in the words of Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope.”

So at the end of the day, being a Christian in high school is about putting my trust in God, not worrying about what others think, being always mindful of His blessings in my life – recognizing how He has always blessed me in every way – and knowing that He has a perfect plan for all.

– Amanda Fox, a sophomore at Spring Valley High School, is also a creative-writing student at the Northeast Arts Academy in Columbia.