Melding Generation

Kingdom Building

November 6, 2019

Scripture Reading: Psalm 145:1-5,17-21

One generation shall laud your works to another,
   and shall declare your mighty acts.
On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
   and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
The Lord is just in all his ways,
   and kind in all his doings.
The Lord is near to all who call on him,
   to all who call on him in truth. –Psalm 145:4-5, 17-18

I recently had separate discussions with two minister friends about the challenge of the church integrating the generations into One Body. Church’s are attempting to meld together six different identified groups of people by age that have markedly different worldviews.

  • 2000 to present: New Silent Generation or Generation Z.
  • 1980 to 2000: Millennials or Generation Y.
  • 1965 to 1979: Thirteeners or Generation X.
  • 1946 to 1964: Baby Boomers.
  • 1925 to 1945: Silent Generation.
  • 1900 to 1924: G.I. Generation*.

I must confess I had never heard of the Thirteeners until I pulled up this list to get the dates right. I have met a few of them. Apparently even the Psalmist of ancient days had to address the interworking of generational differences. The differences may not be what we think. We are now routinely seeing headlines like U.S. Kids Far Less Likely To Out-Earn Their Parents, As Inequality Grows** Not using wealth as the primary measure of wealth is probably a good thing. Not earning a living wage is a bad thing.

So, with what do we laud the next generation? Are we being called to encounter our priorities of the past and identify the things that really matter passing them on to our children and grandchildren? Are we living lives that illustrate for the next generation watching us that speak to the wonder and worth of God? Are they learning how to love God and love their neighbors as they love themselves by emulating our behavior?

Prayer:
Weave, weave, weave us together,
Weave us together in unity and love.
Weave, weave, weave us together,
Weave us together, together in love***. Amen.

*https://www.thoughtco.com/names-of-generations-1435472
**https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/12/09/504989751/u-s-kids-far-less-likely-to-out-earn-their-parents-as-inequality-grows
***http://dragon.sleepdeprived.ca/songbook/songs6/S6_54.htm All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.