This generation, teens and college age, certainly looks a lot different than when I was a teen! And my mom thought my generation looked weird…lol!  Nowdays most are tattooed and pierced and have multi-colored hair! My kids are no exception.  My oldest daughter is the only one who doesn’t have any of the above. She does color her hair, but only blonde highlights, and has pierced ears (one hole in each). My 23 year old son has 3 tattoos and gauges in his ears. He has plans for more tattoos and his hair is colored dark brown with a faux-hawk.  (Gauges are a type of earring that stretches out the piercing into larger holes and a faux-hawk is a haircut that can be styled in to a “mohawk”; only the sides of the head aren’t shaved.) My just-turned-18 year old son is going to get his first tattoo and also has gauges. His hair is it’s natural color. My 16 year old daughter colors her hair frequently and usually has two or three different colors. No tattoos or body piercings, yet, although she’s asked for a lip ring in the past, but nothing too recent. I told her when she’s 18 and can pay for it herself she can do what she wants.

I know a lot of people, especially the “older” generation, look at these people sort of differently, maybe even a little judgmentally. As a youth leader in our church, I see lots of kids with all sorts of “odd to me” looking things; pink and blue hair, all sorts of facial and body piercings, tons of tattoos, and dark makeup, not to mention the clothes they wear. But, most of these kids are great!!! They have awesome personalities, are doing good in school, and hello, they are at youth group! I know not all people who look like this are doing as good, but hey, so called normal looking people aren’t doing so good either!

I think as this generation grows and changes in their styles, we as parents, leaders and therefore their examples, need to love and accept them just as they are. After all, when we were their age, isn’t that exactly what we were longing for; to be loved and accepted just they way we were?

If you are an “older” person reading this, or a person who doesn’t have tattoos, piercings or weird hair colors, I hope you stop to think about how maybe you’ve reacted to or treated someone who does. I hope you will also reach out to someone who may look and dress a little differently than you do. You might be surprised at how much passion they have and how much love is inside of them.