"But it's NORMAL!"

I am actually a very shy person, believe it or not. I often hear someone say something that I think is wrong, but I do not usually give that person a piece of my mind. This blog is the outpouring of my soul in written form. I take all the instances in my own life that bother me, and I correct them for others to see and learn from. I do not back down from my beliefs, but I’m not very outgoing or loud about what I think deep down inside. Even though I’m quiet, however, I have quite a reputation for being abnormal. This doesn’t really bother me, because I do not strive to be “normal”. I strive to be different in the eyes of the world.

I frequently hear the phrase “it’s normal”. Typically, the context centers around something that has been deemed “okay” because it is “normal”. I want to shout, “Just because it’s normal doesn’t make it okay!” but I can’t for fear of offending someone and losing a friendship.

What do you think is considered “normal” in our society that isn’t okay in the sight of God? I can think of many examples, but I will specifically talk about five of them.

#1 – Teenage Attitude
This is one in particular that has bothered me for a very long time. I often hear people say, “Well, he’s a teenager!” or “I can’t wait until she’s out of this teenage phase”. It drives me crazy, because I know that “teenagerism” has become normal, though it did not start out that way. There was no such thing as a teenager back in Bible times! You were either a child or an adult. Because there was no intermediate stage, it forced the children to be mature and competent. Do you think maybe we should revert back to that??? It’s hard for me to hold my tongue when people refer to their teens as “normal”. A normal teen should choose to be a young adult, and not an overgrown child.

#2 – Public Displays of Affection
You almost can’t avoid it. I’ll be walking down the street, and there will be a couple either my age or younger holding hands, hugging, or kissing. I don’t have any problem with married couples doing these things, but it does bother me that nearly everyone my age has a boyfriend/girlfriend and is not shy about showing affection in public. It’s sick, gross, and very “normal”. That does not make it right. I don’t have a problem with dating or courting, but I do prefer it be done when it can actually lead to something. Honestly, I don’t see any point in dating until a person is old enough to get married. I don’t think having a boyfriend just because everyone else does is a very good reason.

#3 – Cussing
I have never understood why using mild to severe language is so “cool”. It does not appeal to me in the least, and even if I wasn’t a Christian, I most likely wouldn’t use bad language. Actual swear words really bother me, but the take-offs of those words (such as “crap”, “suck”, “freaking”, and more) are what really bother me. Who said that one was a curse word, but the other was okay to say? Who makes up these rules anyway? These words frequent most teenage conversations, and are extremely rude. Just because this is “normal” still does not make it “good”.

#4 – Immodest clothing
Sometimes I wonder what fashion designers are thinking. Some of the latest styles are weird and ugly, but that doesn’t stop teen girls from buying them anyway just because they are “trendy”. I am not very fashionable with my clothing (and frankly, I don’t care), but I am especially bothered by immodesty. This problem is rampant among teen girls, and it is mainly because they follow the examples of latest Hollywood sensations. Whatever is “cool” to wear, teen girls buy. I don’t know when this cycle started, but I have a feeling that it’s been going on for a very long time. “Normal” clothing nowadays is provocative and flashy, and I am not going to buy it just because it is “cool”.

#5 – Laziness
It seems to me that if a teenager can do as little as possible and still get away with it, they will. I used to be like that, but then I realized that no one respected my work ethic. I now can say that I do try to work as hard as possible. Don’t get me wrong: I still succumb to laziness, but I’m working on it. I don’t know what happened to working hard and doing your best, but it has obviously been thrown out the window with modesty and clean language. I know it’s “normal” for a teenager to sleep in until 1:00 PM on a Saturday, but maybe the day would be better spent working hard or at least spending time with family. I was complimented by my manager at the place I work for always keeping my hands busy. This made me feel good and bad at the same time. I was glad my manager was pleased, but sad that I was the only one who did work the entire time I’m there. I hope that just because being lazy is typical, that there are still a few souls out there who are not afraid of hard work.

I am obviously “different”, but I am not afraid to be so. I will not give in to the “normal” trends when they are wrong, and I don’t care what kind of weirdo other teens think I am. I’m not afraid of being different, as long as it is right and good in God’s eyes.