Not so silly season

Here's my August article:

In the media, August is in 'silly season' - the time of year when the news is full of frivolous stories because Parliament is not sitting, and so there is not as much 'important' news. Inexplicably in many other languages 'silly season' is called 'cucumber season'!

However, for thousands of young people August is not silly at all but very serious, because it is when GCSE, T Level, BTec and A level results are released. This is the time when future dreams can be dashed or come one step closer: apprenticeships, university places and job offers can all hinge on what is written on the result papers. It is no wonder that this can be a very stressful time for our young people. When as adults we try to help our young people at this time we can sometimes either make the mistake of minimising how important it is to them or make the opposite mistake of placing too much importance on them.

On the one hand, we can treat results day as just another part of 'silly season' – a chance for the media to be filled with claims that the exams are much too easy now or that no-one really cares about what qualifications you have. On the other hand, we can act as if failing to get the desired results means an end to any future prosperity and happiness. To get the balance right requires wisdom and a sense of perspective, and it is our job as adults of the community to help our young people to have that sense of perspective too.

It is hard to know how to shepherd our young people through this time, so we should to turn to God in prayer to ask him for wisdom and the right words to say, and also to ask him, as the Good Shepherd, to lead and guide our young people's thinking too. But one thing we should be reminding them is that, contrary to what the education system might suggest, our identity and our value is not dictated by those results.

So, a prayer for young people receiving results, from Liverpool Diocese, contains these words “May they know their worth and value is not based on academic achievement but on your great love for us.” And one from the Methodist church, to be said by the young person themselves: “Help me to remember that in your eyes, I am worth more than grades on a piece of paper.” These contain the wisdom that we all need to hear, that our value is not based on our achievements, whether they are academic, personal, or related to our employment or recreation. We are valuable because we are made in God's image and he loves each and every one of us equally and regardless of our achievements.

Psalm 23 reminds us that God, as our Good Shepherd, is with us through all our joys and our sorrows; rejoicing with us and comforting us as necessary. And so a prayer from the Church of England to be said by the young people says: “Help me to stay calm as I wait for news. Whatever happens, be with me, and help me to know the wisdom that comes from heaven.” Maybe that's a prayer you can say whatever your situation.