Teenagers and alcohol. Many would have the world to believe that the former with the latter in hand is a very natural and harmless thing. Reality paints a far different picture. The truth is more akin to this -- when one meets the other a concoction has been created that is nothing less than nuclear. The reaction will be much like dropping a blowtorch into a barrel of lighter fluid. Families are destroyed, young bodies rot on the inside while their world crumbles on the outside, and short-lived lives are snuffed out in an instant. Is there a way out from such madness? Can numbed minds think clearly again? Can slurred angry speech become joyful singing? Can the teenage years be great without beer or hard liquor? In the coming days I hope to answer these questions with a resounding yes!
The post you have before your eyes is the first in a series of four posts aimed at helping teenagers and their parents better understand how to biblically view and address the epidemic of teenage drinking. The focus of this post will be simply to clarify and narrow our focus to that which is most important. My desire is not to hit every nuanced issue related to teen drinking. I want to pinpoint what is most pressing.
Having said that, I will not spend much time on the question of drinking in general (if you want a fuller treatment on this issue I invite you to check out a transcribed radio exchange by John MacArthur linked here). All that I will say regarding such a topic is that for teenagers the issue of whether to drink or not is moot. Drinking is illegal for teenagers and, biblically, we are to submit to our governmental authorities (Romans 13:1-6). Therefore, the answer to whether or not teens should drink is an unequivocal NO! Yet, we all know many teens still drink, despite being legally prohibited from doing so. Something more needs to be and will be said!
Not only is the question of drinking in general not of primary importance, but we will not concern ourselves either with asking “How can I stop drinking?” or if you are a parent “How can I stop my teen from drinking?” These questions are good and necessary but not primary. There is a greater question that must be posed first. Of utmost importance is “What motivates a teenager to drink and to get drunk?” Also, where do these motivations come from? When these questions are asked we move away from peripheral concerns and end results and begin to focus on what is fundamental. You do not teach someone to drain a three-point shot in basketball by showing them how a ball looks going through the net or by modeling the best defensive techniques. When the root of motivations is exposed and the motivations themselves are rightly acknowledged a great step has been made by both the teen steeped in alcohol and the parents hoping to help them.
Not only is the question of drinking in general not of primary importance, but we will not concern ourselves either with asking “How can I stop drinking?” or if you are a parent “How can I stop my teen from drinking?” These questions are good and necessary but not primary. There is a greater question that must be posed first. Of utmost importance is “What motivates a teenager to drink and to get drunk?” Also, where do these motivations come from? When these questions are asked we move away from peripheral concerns and end results and begin to focus on what is fundamental. You do not teach someone to drain a three-point shot in basketball by showing them how a ball looks going through the net or by modeling the best defensive techniques. When the root of motivations is exposed and the motivations themselves are rightly acknowledged a great step has been made by both the teen steeped in alcohol and the parents hoping to help them.
In a (hopefully soon) forthcoming post we will look much closer at what truly motivates a teen to drink and discuss some of the most prevalent desires that reign supreme when teens and alcohol collide.
The rest of the series will be linked here:
Teens and Alcohol part 2
Teens and Alcohol part 3
