youth

Childlike Wealth

/ JJS / 2 Comments

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Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 12; 146, Nahum 1:1-13, 1 Peter 1:13-25, Matthew 19:13-22

The two stories in today’s passage from Matthew can be read independently, but taken together they provide a greater lesson. In the first, Jesus rebukes the disciples for preventing children from coming to him. He welcomes and blesses the children, and tells his disciples “whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.” In the second, a rich young man who believes himself virtuous because he keeps the law asks Jesus what he lacks to inherit eternal life. Jesus tells the man he needs to sell all his possessions, give the money to the poor, and follow him. The young man leaves in shock and grief.

When Jesus speaks about being like little children, he does not simply mean we should be naïve or innocent. Children own nothing, and depend on their parents for everything. To receive as children, we must realize that all we have is from God, and that our lives apart from God are empty. This takes us to the young man, who has many possessions. To abandon them all is unthinkable to him. His body and actions conform to the law, but his heart belongs first to his possessions. Not only does he fail to recognize all he has does not truly belong to him, he has allowed his attachment to wealth to become a barrier between him and God.

Idealism is associated with youth for a reason: as we grow older and establish our lives, it becomes ever more difficult to stand up for principles that may cost us everything, because we have so much more to lose. As we mature, it’s easy to claim experience has made us practical about matters that threaten our livelihoods. Is it possible we are rationalizing (more than) a bit? It’s a lot easier to stand up for principles at your job or city hall when all you have to lose is a 1998 Ford Fiesta than when your new house and Lexus are on the line. Must we, like the young man, sell everything? At the very least, we must be willing to part with anything in our lives – wealth, reputation, pride – that stands between us and God. Only then will we have room to receive the kingdom of God, and all the gifts which lift us up instead of weigh us down.

Comfort: We are all God’s children.

Challenge: Pick out a children’s book to read, and ask yourself what lessons it has to teach that you may have forgotten in adulthood.

Prayer: How precious is your steadfast love, O God! All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings.  (Psalm 36:7)

Discussion: When did people start seeing you as an adult? When did you start thinking of yourself as one?

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Let No One Despise Our Youth

/ JJS / Leave a comment

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Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 108; 150, 1 Kings 8:22-30 (31-40), 1 Timothy 4:7b-16, John 8:47-59

Did you know millennials are responsible for social ills from the closing of chain restaurants to the end of free speech on college campuses? At least that’s what some pundits, questionable social critics, and click-baiting media sources would have us believe. Older generations have always lamented the lack of values, morals, and responsibilities of younger ones. They look back to the times in which they were at the height of their vigor and become nostalgic for them less for their reality and more for the feelings they revive.

In his first letter to Timothy, Paul advised his young protégé to “let no one despise your youth.” Paul understood people, so he understood we’ll use any flaw we find in a messenger to dismiss a message that causes us discomfort. In fairness young people often lack experience that they can’t understand they lack, but they can also have experiences their elders have not. In Timothy’s case, this was the experience of living the Gospel. If Timothy wanted to be successful, Paul suggested he would have to be nearly flawless in his example and teachings for people to take him seriously.

When we harp on the flaws of younger generations, what are we really commenting on? Each generation is a product of the ones which preceded it. Perhaps we don’t like being reminded we are in part responsible for what we perceive as deficiencies. And maybe some of our complaints – for instance, how kids today have it too easy (and what generation hasn’t said that about the next?) – come from a place of jealousy or resentment.

Does every generation have its quirks and flaws? Yes. But it also does some things better and smarter. Human rights, for instance, have a steady record of improvement with each generation. And though it may not feel so because of the seemingly inescapable 24-hour news cycle, the world is becoming a less violent place.

If we let them, young people have much to teach us about the world and ourselves. It won’t always be something we want to hear. But why miss something we need to?

Comfort: We don’t need to be young to learn. 

Challenge: Make a habit of getting to know and listen to younger people.

Prayer: Eternal God, help me to always teach and be willing to learn the eternal values taught to us by Christ. Amen. 

Discussion: What have you learned from people younger than yourself?

Join the discussion! If you enjoyed this post, feel free to join an extended discussion as part of the C+C Facebook group. You’ll be notified of new posts through FB, and have the opportunity to share your thoughts with some lovely people. Or feel free to comment here on WordPress, or even re-blog – the more the merrier!