Looking at Young People Through God’s Eyes
The presence of young people in biblical stories shows that there are instances where God involves young people specifically because of their youth. Sometimes, being young is a - or even the - reason for God to involve someone in His plans with humanity. This is evident from the doctoral research of theologian Ron Becker. He explored how we perceive young people and through what lens. His study stems from a sense of wonder about how young people can function in collaboration with God and represents an attempt to understand this from a biblical-theological perspective.
Many young people appear in the Bible, yet this is rarely reflected in biblical commentaries or other theological studies. Becker delved into several biblical narratives to investigate the role of young people in these stories. What do they do? What are the consequences of their actions? And how do these relate to God’s actions in these narratives?
Reading these stories from the perspective of the young people involved offers a view in which the words and actions of young people can represent, embody, and symbolize God’s presence. A "theology of young people" helps us view them and their uniqueness differently, without the generalizations and problematizations of contemporary society.
Becker’s research offers a different way of looking at young people. They are often assigned various labels or placed into certain categories. This reflects a society that generalizes, categorizes, and problematizes. Young people are expected to fit into a system and meet numerous expectations, often with good intentions, but resulting in an increasing number of labels.
“In my research, I show that in the biblical stories I studied, the uniqueness of young people is often overlooked by adults but not by God. In connection with God, young people, due to their uniqueness, their youth, and thus their agency, can disrupt the status quo. Their youth can stand on its own,” says Becker.
