I can’t help but chuckle a little when I hear “acting like a teenager” used as an insult. This criticism has been lobbed at politicians and celebrities and other people in the public eye for years:
“The President is acting like a teenager.”
“The actor behaves like a teenager on set.”
or this popular variant,
“The congresswoman has all the maturity of a teenaged girl.”

Commentators toss around the word “teenager” —especially “teenaged girl”— as shorthand for petty, immature, and short-sighted, so I can only assume none of these critics have ever worked with teenagers.

I have.

I worked with teenagers in churches for seven years and consistently found them to be more practical and reasonable than many of the adults teaching them. These teens were incredibly creative and weren’t afraid to share their ideas. They could sense BS a mile away and called it out readily, but they were also quick to extend grace and forgiveness.

While the teens I worked with still had some knee-jerk responses and immature moments, they seemed more aware of their strong emotions and more willing to talk through them. They were willing to be goofy, displayed comfort in their own skins, and took social risks to help others. They were resilient; when they messed up, they accepted it, learned from it, and committed to change.

They were hard-working, often balancing classes, extra-curricular activities, jobs, and church while still finding time to read books, do chores, pray, and help their friends. They were forward-thinking, striving to secure the best futures for themselves, but they still took the time to help raise siblings and bolster struggling parents (not to mention struggling youth ministers).

And among these spiritual giants, the teenaged girls were usually the most mature. They were natural leaders who repeatedly demonstrated vision, decisiveness, and sensitivity to the needs of others. They empowered and energized everyone around them, and it was a joy cheering them on as they excelled.

In short, some of the best people I’ve ever known have been teenagers,
so if you ever want to compare me to a teenager (especially a teenaged girl),
I will consider it an incredible compliment.