What They Need to Hear by Joseph

What They Need to Hear by Joseph - March 2017 Scholarship Essay

There's a lot this world needs to hear. Everybody could use a little advise, but the problem is that they could use advise on just about every topic imaginable. Especially school age children. In an age where people are susceptible to pressure about drugs, sex, friendship, social status, family, and so much more (the list goes on and on), it's hard to pinpoint one thing (apart from their faith) that would really help them more than the others. There are literally hundreds of topics to choose from. So, rather than choosing one tiny little thing to talk about, I think I would talk about one general topic; turn on a flashlight and light the whole room rather than concentrate a laser beam on one tiny thing.
Here's what I feel like our children - and, to be honest, everyone in general - need to hear: the importance of love and consideration for other people. In a world where much emphasis is placed on doing the best thing for everyone in general, we think we have this down pat. But we don't. Ask the average person, and they'll tell you that someone (who may have even been trying to do the best for people in general) has made a big mistake and hurt them badly. Keep on asking questions, and if you find the truth, you'll find that they've also probably hurt someone else other than themselves badly, too. The dirty truth is this: although we put so much emphasis on trying to be kind and do the best thing for each other, we still are falling far short of the desired mark of societal kindness. Our schools are filled with racism, hatred, violence, and language. Somewhere along the line, we messed up; and I don't know where, but it's something we have to identify. It always hurts me when I look at comments on YouTube videos and see people constantly cursing at each other and calling each other names. Sadly, a lot of people just don't seem to care enough anymore about treating others kindly. I believe most young people do care at least somewhat, but they struggle a lot with this area. I would like to use my speech (if I was given an opportunity for one) to, firstly, encourage them in the good they are already doing; and secondly, to inspire them to do even better.
If our school children would only mentally grasp the importance of this topic (which even goes hand in hand with some of the doctrines of Christianity), the world would definitely change. It would spark a major revolution in our society.
That's what I'd talk about.