After over twenty-five years of being rollercoaster free, my sweet niece talked me into going to Kennywood with her to ride the roller coasters. Gotta tell ya, on the way there I was very concerned about my old ticker and how I might respond to being dropped off a 60 foot cliff.
We rode the Carousel first (as an attempt to sort of prime the pump so to speak). Then it was off for our first rollercoaster. Standing in line gave me plenty of time to re-think what I was about to do. However, when I stepped into the car and the bar came down over my head, I knew I was committed to this ride and I might as well enjoy it.
The first drop was mind boggling and the rest of the 13 second ride was just as mind boggling. Things certainly have changed in the past twenty-five years!
I wasn’t prepared for the force of gravity and the stomach flopping power of the SwingShot either! The SwingShot is over 60 feet tall, and its two arms swing to a height of 90 feet. Tremendous acceleration in both directions produces the exhilarating experience of weightlessness as riders catapult towards the sky, quickly reverse direction, and then plummet towards the earth at speeds in excess of 50 mph.
Uh…. Ya… This gramma didn’t know what she was getting herself into when she climbed on these mind boggling rides. But (the reality of it is) there was something even more mind boggling at this Amusement Park than the rides.
I love people watching. Sit me on a park bench anywhere and let me watch people and I’m very content. So, of course, as we were waiting in the lines to ride I was watching people. It seemed like a majority of those in line were young (25 and under). And I recognized three things immediately: 1. I was definitely the minority 2. Things have certainly changed since the last time I was in an amusement park. And 3. I live a very sheltered, Christian lifestyle that could seriously hinder my ability to reach out to a world who really needs Jesus ~ if I allow it to.
If I was to name the one thing that boggled my mind most, I would have to say the fact that this generation has no concept of reality. They aren’t even certain about the most basic things like: who they are (is their gender male or female; or both), why they’re here (does it matter if they are or not) and what life is all about (so they‘re just trying to grab what they can from this world before it‘s time to check out).
I agree that our older generation may wrestle with the same questions, but it seems our children have really lost their way. And my question is: What are we doing to help them answer those questions and guide them along the way to truth?
Does their roughness/crudeness cause you to shrink back and walk away? (that’s called fear) Does the fact that they are trying to find who they are by experimenting with their sexuality cause you to stay silent and shake your head in disgust? (that’s judgmental) Does their open display of sexuality take you by surprise? (that’s intimidation)
This generation is SCREAMING for someone to love them unconditionally and frankly they don’t care if it’s a guy or a girl. They need someone to accept them for who they are. Artists such as Lady Gaga (yes, I went there!) are telling these kids that they were born that way and to be proud of the sin that has taken hold of their lives.
Who do you think taught them about divorce and broken families? Who do we blame for the attitudes, beliefs, hurt and confusion they carry with them daily?
If I can be so bold, I’d like to say that we as parents need to be the first to accept responsibility for some of what our child is becoming. Then we need to look at television, which has also been raising our children for years. Have we ever stopped and asked what ‘reality’ shows have taught our children about reality?
Basically those electronic boxes in our living rooms are raising our children and telling them over and over that life is all about indulgence. Show after show has taught our children that life is about what they can grab out of it and there are no rules. Kill or be killed, take or be taken, do or die. Our youth truly believe they have no future and there are no absolutes.
I’m not so much concerned about their lot in life as I am in the generation before them. How will we stand before God and explain why we let this happen? What excuse do we have for where we’ve let them go? Were we too busy with our own lives to care? Did we use the television as a babysitter to give us more time to ourselves? What excuse do we have for raising a generation of confused, angry, sex/love starved kids?
Is it too late to begin pouring into them now? If it’s not, where do we start? How do we convince them that we truly care? Will they believe us? Will they accept our help? Or is the reality that it’s already too late.
Our only hope in reaching this lost generation is by being REAL with them. Loving them unconditionally right where they are. Not being afraid to touch a tattooed arm or a homosexual hand. Not allowing the piercings and the vulgarity to stop us from truly loving our children.
Our job is to help them distinguish between reality and fantasy. Loving them into realizing that there are consequences for every decision. Therefore, that is why God set standards & rules. They are for their protection not for their punishment.
The best way to reach our lost generation is by keeping it REAL and being REAL with them. And that only happens when you have a firm foundation in who you are in Christ and what you believe. They can smell a rat from miles away and it’s no longer possible to fool them with “Christianeze” or rehearsed verbiage.
The only way you can truly penetrate their heart is when you’re willing to give away yours. And your heart is only truly equipped for the job after it has been transplanted by His heart.
The world is blatantly ‘preaching’ their gospel. What about you? Are you willing to share your reality? Do you completely understand what that reality is? Who are you reaching out to? Who are you loving unconditionally?
In everything set them an example by doing what is good. (Titus 2:7 NIV)Children miss nothing in sizing up their parents. If you are only half convinced of your beliefs, they will quickly discern that fact. Any ethical weak spot—any indecision on your part—will be incorporated and then magnified in your sons and daughters. Their faith of faithlessness will be a reflection of our own. [Dr. James Dobson]
And we wonder why this generation is so confused about life, sex, gender, religion, adultery, divorce, alcoholism, drug abuse, killing, fundamentalist Christians, Catholics, and Jews have all taken a hit.
The world is blatantly ‘preaching’ their gospel. What about you? Who are you reaching out too? Who is in your own personal reality show? Be a light in the darkness. Awaken those around you with love. Are you going to do nothing or are you going to do what you can? It’s up to you to change this world, one person at a time by simply “loving the one in front of you.” ~ Heidi Baker.
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