Inconsequential
October 25
And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered … you are
worth more than many sparrows.
Matthew 10:30, 31
Bethany was fourteen when she tried to take her own life. She saw herself as a
disappointment and felt she had no choice but to end her life by hanging her-
self from the rafters in the garage. Divine intervention brought her brother to
the garage at the very moment she stepped off the chair. Grabbing her around
the legs, he stepped onto the chair and supported her with one hand while
removing the rope with the other.
Bethany later admitted that she felt inconsequential and unsuccessful—
neither of which was true—and saw everything through a pass or fail lens; in
her mind, there had been no room for error.
Her parents were shocked and horrified to learn their youngest daughter
had thought of herself as a failure or that she believed death was the answer.
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We no longer allow our children to be average. And because of this mind-set,
our children are choosing to end their lives because they don’t measure up in
their own eyes.
Teen suicide is a growing epidemic and in large part is a result of being sub-
jected to irrational ideals that create irreconcilable dilemmas teens are neither emo-
tionally nor spiritually mature enough to handle.
Irreconcilable dilemmas create depression that, if unrecognized, causes exces-
sive withdrawal and isolation. These symptoms can be misunderstood as a need for
personal space. Quiet withdrawal is not always a downtime thing needed to regroup.
Bethany eventually learned that self-imposed, irrational expectations could
overwhelm anyone. No one person is capable of carrying the weight of such
demands.
Christian counseling brought Bethany to a place where her overwhelm-
ing sense of a need to succeed no longer overshadowed rational thought.
We must not fail to recognize signs of depression. They can be as subtle
as they are destructive. There are abundant recourses available; Christian psy-
chiatry can be beneficial; the local library and online medical sites have a
wealth of information.
But as valuable as these are, God’s Word is priceless. Our children must
know they matter. And we must not fail to tell them.
Prayer
“Lord, save our children from the lie of inconsequence. Help
us end this epidemic by revealing Your great love for them
through those who know the truth. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”
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