I was reading my usual news sources this morning, and I found an interesting article detailing the rise of suicide rates due to the Economic downturn in Europe. CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
The reported gave details of businesses on the brink with too much debt, and proprietors unable to handle the pressure of a failing business. I started thinking...
How much pressure would it really take to cause someone to think suicide is the only option?
What does our Western Culture teach us about the importance of success?
How can we begin teaching our teenagers there's more to life than dollars in a bank account?
It made me think about all the work we've been doing at KIVU, teaching and training students how life is full.
It's full of relationships.
It's full of adventure.
It's full of spiritual maturity.
We don't cower from responsibility, but we do help students see the WHOLE person, not just one part.
I wonder how many of the people reported in the article had a chance to realize their WHOLE potential apart from their business responsibilities?
I wonder if they had a chance to know people in their lives willing to step in and help when it looked like life had dealt them an unwinable hand?
My heart is sad over stories like this. We should never reach a point where we have to decide to take our lives, no matter what kind of trouble we find ourselves in.
Failure is a part of the human experience, and we've got to begin teaching our kids how to deal with poor decisions, circumstances beyond our control, and the TRUTH about a God in the Universe interested in their very being.
I would love to know how you are participating in helping to teach people around you how to rely on community.
In the meantime, Check out our program at KIVU. We'll continue to lock arms with parents and youth leaders across the country to figure out how to keep people from reaching the pressure point of no return.
