Do you know that the phrase at-risk originated in a 1983 government report on education, and then it came to be applied to youth who were in danger of failing to become productive citizens?
Do you know that 1 out of 7 young people in the United States will run away from home?
That between 1 and 3 million are runaways living in the streets?
That 1 in 4 freshmen will not graduate from high school?
That the number of students who drop out of school every day is 2,261?
That each day 4,356 youths are arrested, and of these, 181 are for violent crimes?
The cause of the problem has been traced to poverty, poor education, and the failure of family structures. It is a sad and startling state of affairs that so many youths are at-risk.
But should anyone be shocked by it? A close-up examination reveals that the whole world is at serious risk.
The Bible says, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)). From this verse you can see that the entire population of the planet is at-risk because of sin.
Do you know that one out of every one person has run away from God? “They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one” (Romans 3:1212They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. (Romans 3:12)).
That 100% of us have failed to live up to the light God has put in our souls? “When they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened” (Romans 1:2121Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. (Romans 1:21)).
That sin is a serious crime, because in the final analysis, it is all directed against the Supreme Being of the universe? “Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Thy sight” (Psalm 51:44Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. (Psalm 51:4)).
The problem of sin that puts men and women at-risk is so great that it exceeds our power to solve it. We need a Deliverer, a Redeemer, and a Saviour.
The good news is that God came to this earth in the person of the Son of God to be that Saviour. The Creator of the universe, in a moment of time, became a man. As God and man in the same person, He lived and walked among men. For three and a half years He went about the countryside of Israel and taught truths about life and God. Men marveled at the power of His words. He did miracles of healing, even raising the dead. Then He was taken by cruel hands and crucified. His death wasn’t an accident. It was planned before the world began. It is only by His death that souls who have turned their backs on God can receive the forgiveness of sins and the gift of eternal life. “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)).
As man, Jesus Christ could suffer death; as God, His death has a limitless power to wash away the sins of all who believe. He is the Deliverer who came down from heaven to where sinful men lived, that He might bring the wanderers back to a right relationship with Himself.
He paid the ransom for their souls with His life’s blood, and He is ready to save them the moment they bow their hearts to Him and confess Him as Lord and Saviour. “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed” (Romans 10:99That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (Romans 10:9)-11).
Every earnest appeal ought to be made to young people to stay in school and finish their studies. However, it is far more urgent for people to not drop out when it comes to learning about God. God can be known through His precious Word, in prayer, by seeking Him with an honest heart, by listening to others who love Him and have come to know Him. God is eminently knowable! You can know Him as sure as you know you have life and being! He is knowable to every soul, because He has equipped them with ability to understand. But souls who “drop out” and remain willfully ignorant of His grace, love, kindness, and wisdom are headed for a bleak future. They will miss out on the best things this life has to offer and will procure for themselves an eternity in the darkness of hell. What a bleak future is in store for those who reject the knowledge of God!
Whether you are young or old, you can’t save yourself. You can’t run away from the problem of sin and hope the problem solves itself. Instead, come to God the Father through Jesus Christ His Son by faith and receive the forgiveness of sins. If you do, you will surely come to love and know Him. Christ is the answer for a world at-risk!