While reading the current discussion about issues amongst our church
youth I was delighted to have this book fall into my hands: Do
Hard Things, by Alex and Brett Harris. It is a thought-provoking
book written by nineteen-year-old twins that challenges teenagers to
rebel against the low expectations placed on them, not the least of
which are low spiritual expectations. Much of this review is
simply text taken directly from the book which summarises the main
thoughts.
The word teenager is so common today that most people don’t even
think about it - and if they do, it’s usually not positive.
But would it surprise you to find out that at one time teenagers
didn’t even exist?
The first documented use of the word teenager was a Reader’s
Digest issue in 1941. Prior to the early twentieth century and,
really, throughout history, people were either children or adults, and
teens were given increasing levels of responsibility at early
ages. Read the book to learn about a twelve year old sea captain
who took charge of a ship captured in war and sailed it safely back
home, all the while maintaining discipline amongst the crew and
prisoners of war.
The question is: what changed? Why is it that young men and
women of the past were able to do things (and do them well) at fifteen
or sixteen that many of today’s 25-30 year olds can’t do?
Living in the “century of the teenager”, entire industries
- movie, music, fashion, fast food - and countless online services
revolve around the consumer habits of teens. With all this money
and attention focused on teens, the teen years are viewed as some sort
of vacation. Society doesn’t expect much of anything from
young people during their teen years - except trouble. And it
certainly doesn’t expect competence, maturity, or
productivity. The saddest part is that, as the culture around
them has come to expect less and less, young people have dropped to
meet those lower expectations.
Where expectations are high, we tend to rise to meet them. Where
expectations are low, we tend to drop to meet them. So whose
expectations are we living by? The Bible says, “Do not
conform any longer to the pattern of this world” (Romans
12:2). When we let cultural expectations become our standard, we
allow ourselves to be squeezed into a mold, with little room for
Christ-like character or competence.
Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:11 “When I was a child, I spoke
like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.
When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.” Notice he
didn’t say: “When I was a child, I spoke like a
child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. But then
I became a teenager and I looked like an adult, I sounded like an
adult, but I still acted like a child”. No! He said,
“I became a man, and I gave up childish ways.”
Of course, sometimes we like being able to do things we know we
shouldn’t do - or getting away with less than our best. We
excuse our choices because that’s what teens are supposed to do
or by thinking, Well, I’m not as bad as some people I know.
We go with the crowd. We do what comes easily: we certainly
don’t do hard things. That’s as true for teens as it
is for older adults.
The consequence? We waste some of the best years of our lives and
never reach our full God-given potential. We never attempt things
that would stretch, grow, and strengthen us.
So what are hard things? The authors have given defined them in five ways:
1. Things that are
outside your comfort zone - they can challenge you because they are
unfamiliar or even scary, but they always end up growing your comfort
zones for the future.
2. Things that go
beyond what is expected or required. You aren’t content to
“do no harm: - you purpose to do good. These actions are
hard because they rest entirely on your own initiative.
3. Things that are too big to accomplish alone.
4. Things that
don’t earn an immediate payoff. These are tasks like
fighting sin, doing your homework, obeying your parents, being faithful
in your spiritual disciplines, driving the speed limit (even when
you’re late). Hard because you won’t see much
progress from one day to the next, and they don’t win you
recognition or praise.
5. Things that
challenge the cultural norm, taking a stand for what is right (dressing
modestly, saying no to premarital sex, sharing the gospel with others,
living as an obvious Christian). Hard because these choices could
cost you popularity or friendship.
The principles outlined in the book are continually illustrated by real
life examples of teens doing hard things and achieving tremendous
results. Each time the authors clearly show that the strength to
achieve these things comes from God, and the glory of their
achievements is God’s. Biblical texts continually back up
the principles outlined in the book. The authors also lead by
example, having been the youngest interns in the history of the Alabama
Supreme Court at the age of sixteen, and leading an election campaign
at the age of seventeen.
Their principle: “The teen years are not a vacation from
responsibility … they are the training ground of future leaders
who dare to be responsible now.”
If you are a teenager, get hold of a copy of “Do Hard
Things” and resolve to fulfil your God-given potential through
the grace of the Holy Spirit. If you have a teenager, or a
grandson or granddaughter, I also encourage you to pick up a copy of
this book. Give it to them, but read it yourself as well.
It will challenge you to break out of your own comfort zone and do hard
things. It will encourage you to expect great things from
yourself and from the teenagers in your life. With God’s
grace it will lead to great things being done to God’s glory.
Review by C Schoof
