At the Great Escape (high school one-day retreat), Mr. Kerr shared the Scripture in 1 Peter about the devil prowling about like a roaring lion. When lions hunt they like to isolate their prey. Satan does the same thing. He wants us to be isolated so he can prey on us. When I went to a Brain and Learning conference about ten years ago, a major topic was how screen time (smart phones, social media, and gaming) have led to the lack of personal interactions between young people. Some of the consequences of this lack of interaction are the inability of youth to read people, which is why some young people do not look at you when you speak to them, and poor relationship skills.

Relationships are hard and messy because people are involved. Relationships take a lot of work and energy. As I have grown older, I have come to realize that relationships are the most important part of life. Our God is an example of a perfect relationshipFather, Son, and Holy Ghost, all in perfect relationship with each other. Heaven will be a place of relationships.

COVID created the perfect storm for our youth. They stayed at home and accomplished everything on the computer, and they discovered that they didn’t have to deal with messy relationships. Life was easier. Many of our students are struggling with relationships and would prefer to be at home, but this is the age that they must grow in their ability to deal with others. They need to learn how to deal with other people. They need to learn how to love those who can be difficult. They need to learn relational skills that will carry them through life. God holds us, as parents, responsible for raising and preparing our children to know Him and live in obedience to His will for their lives. To accomplish this, they must understand the importance of relationships and know how to live and work with people. Working together, in relationship, we can help them grow through this difficult time so they do not fall prey to the roaring lion.