gregstier.org » From a Teen’s Eyes

From a Teen’s Eyes

Posted on Thursday 12 February 2009 by Greg @ 7:46 pm
Filed under: Rants

I wrote this poem about ten years ago but, unfortunately, I think it’s still pretty relevant.

You tell me to get a job
So I can earn my keep.
And purchase all the little things
I like and want and need.

You tell me to go to church
So I can be religious.
And find some inner harmony
While looking quite prestigious.

But what you say so often
Makes no sense to me.
I do not understand at all
What youâ€™re telling me.

You have a college education
A reputation that is strong.
You have a great vocation
You work hard and smart and long.

But I see not valid reason
To go to church with you.
I see no inner love or peace
In what you say or do.

I donâ€™t see any evidence
Of this God you claim to know.
I donâ€™t hear Him in the words you speak
I donâ€™t sense Him in your soul.

So I will get a real good job
And go to college too.
Iâ€™ll build a solid reputation
By the hard work that Iâ€™ll do.

But when it comes to church and stuff
I think that I will pass.
I have no need to look prestigious
To my Bible class.

You can go to church on Sunday
You can seek your own applause
You can keep your stale religion.
You can keep your tiny god.

Signed, Greg Stier

12 Comments

12 Comments for 'From a Teen’s Eyes'

On February 12, 2009 @ 7:59 pm Jake said:
- very true in most cases. I herd a pastor say earlier this week say that all other religions are spelled D.O. Christianity is spelled D.O.N.E. Jesus said IT IS FINISHED!
  
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  WhiteShadow Reply:
  February 28th, 2009 at 11:20 pm
  I’ve heard that a lot… in Alex McFarland’s books, mostly.I think it’s really true, though
  
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On February 12, 2009 @ 9:03 pm Becky said:
- This is really true.I feel like that sometimes.By the way I won’t be able to go to dare 2 share which is a total bummer.
  
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On February 13, 2009 @ 5:44 pm Luke Damiani said:
- Hey Greg,
  This poem sounds like a lot of people’s view on Christianity. So unfortunate that through bad evangelism we can actually hurt people’s view of Jesus. I’ve heard words like this before, though thankfully not directly to myself, but I know I’ve been guilty of the things the poem talks about. Thanks for sharing.
  
  Tuesday (the 10th) I was in my Comparative Religions course at my public community college and the professor split the class up into our different religious beliefs. The assignment was to go into our groups and come up with the core beliefs of our different faiths, and then present them to the class. Having been to the e-team in my youth group and the Washington, D.C. D2S conference I shared the G.O.S.P.E.L. acronym with the other Christians in the class. They all thought it was great! A few of them plan to start using it in their own witnessing. Then we got to present the points of the acronym to the class. The teacher didn’t appreciate it too much, but the whole class got to see it and many of them were not Christians. So just wanted to encourage you with an example of the GOSPEL spreading!
  
  -Luke
  
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On February 13, 2009 @ 11:01 pm Daniel Ellsworth said:
- Great poem, I love the “your tiny god” that is brilliant. your very good with poems, I love your poem on columbine/ V tech (http://www.gregstier.org/rants/eight-years-ago-today), its haunting, and amazing… keep it up.
  
  –Dan
  
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On February 15, 2009 @ 5:39 am will said:
- Thanks, Greg!
  I’ve read your poem several times over the last few days. God Reminded me through you that His Crazy Love is what really matters, especially toward our brothers and sisters in Christ…ESPECIALLY focusing on these teenagers He Has Blessed me with.
  
  “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” – John 13:34-35
  
  Your poem will be read to my Sunday School class this morning, buddy.
  Prayin’ for you and all the saints, that we may Love one another in His Crazy Love…
  
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On February 16, 2009 @ 12:44 pm alone_in_the_dark said:
- this was my view for a long time. i church hopped for a while and finally found what i was looking for. yet now im filled with questions because people encourage me to hang out with people my age…yet when i do that…i find myself growing further away from God.
  
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On February 19, 2009 @ 8:10 pm Erika said:
- I love this poem so much it applies to my life in so many ways that you wouldn’t beleive.
  I can’t find anything to help me with my cutting problem on this website is there a link that I could go on?
  
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  Greg Reply:
  February 20th, 2009 at 9:59 am
  Here Erika, check out Razor Blades and Altar Calls. Search (in the search space)for that title on my blog and read the article and comments. Haley (who the article is based on) has a myspace to help. Her link is in the comments.
  
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On March 1, 2009 @ 12:06 am WhiteShadow said:
- It sounds like the adressee(s) of this poem isn’t a true on-fire-for-God Christian.
  People who come across this way usually are the ‘religious’ type searching some sort of ‘inner harmony.’
  Fortunately, all Christians are not hypocrites. Even more fortunately, when God calls us to Him, he’s not calling us to some religion that’s holier-than-thou…he’s calling us to an amazing life filled with purpose and an unbelievable ultimate reward. If someone acts the way your poem describes, they have no idea what Christianity’s about, even if they go to church, say they’re christians and ‘do all the right things.’
  I’m sorry you’ve seen this side of it, but know that God calls us to something higher than the pretentious rituals of the religious, and if you can break through the false impressions of His people that you’ve seen, you will be able to see things in a completely different way.
  My prayer for you is that God will show you his Glory, power and grace in a way that no stuck-up pretentious and hypocritical faux-Christian could ever convey.
  God bless!!
  
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On February 12, 2010 @ 4:12 pm Amanda said:
- This is so sadly accurate! :’-( Do you write all of these?
  
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  Greg Reply:
  February 13th, 2010 at 8:41 pm
  Yes mam.
  
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