As a general society, we love to give advice. We see a situation that needs "fixing" and we tell someone how it should be repaired. Giving Christian advice to teens can be a wonderful part of their growing process, but it should also be done with some caution. While the content of advice and the intent is often admirable, one should remember that context and delivery method are often just as important as the message. Here are a few thoughts on things that one should remember when giving Christian advice to teens.
LISTEN FIRST
In general, we don't always listen well as a society. Oftentimes we are so eager to offer advice that we just start talking, rather than evaluating the situation and hearing from the person first. Therefore, it is crucial when wanting to give advice that you listen first. Asking the teen questions and starting with a discussion can be just as effective as giving advice. Sometimes the teen will work around to verbalizing the same concepts that would have been offered as advice. As with many situations, it is sometimes more effective for someone to help another person find their own truth rather than conveying it to them as advice.
ARE YOU ON THE SAME RELIGIOUS PAGE?
The other thing to keep in mind when giving Christian advice to teens is that the advice-giver has to be on the same spiritual "page" as the person listening. In other words, if you give Biblical advice it is somewhat important that the receiver recognize the authority of the Bible. Granted, this doesn't mean that someone should shy away from giving Christian-based advice, but they should still recognize and be sensitive to the fact that they may be speaking a different language. In the same way, someone quoting a text from another religion may not ring true to a Christian.
SETTING
Another key part of giving advice is the setting. Just because you have something to say doesn't mean that it should be communicated at the first possible moment. There are good times to talk but sometimes the best thing to do is wait for the right moment. An advice-giver should be aware of environment, external distractions, time constraints, and the mood of the teen. To the best of their ability, the advice-giver should try to anticipate reactions of the teen and how they will handle the responses. Oftentimes giving advices is enhanced by the innate abilities of the giver, but there are also certain techniques that can be practiced and refined.
Overall, advice can be great to give but it should be done with care and with sensitivity. Sometimes advice is not welcome, and other times it may be welcome but ill timed. Giving Christian advice should be based on sound teachings so that the advice giver can explain why they are giving that particular piece of advice. A Christian giving advice should keep in mind that just because they themselves are Christian does not mean that their advice has strong Biblical backing. Rather, they should remember that they are still human, fallible, and prone to seeing things through worldly eyes.