Sometimes the world just slaps you in the face and reminds you about things you don’t normally think about. The old saying: It takes a village to raise a child – it sometimes makes me wonder if the village fell down somewhere along the way. I’m always amazed – and maybe I shouldn’t be – how much we, as the village, have failed to prepare young people for life in the world.  

It’s tough to be a 20 or 30 something today. As a boomer – I’ve heard them described by peers as “lazy”, “unmotivated”, “entitled”… but if they are (and not all of them are), shouldn’t we bear some of that blame? We can’t blame it all on technology. When boomers were kids, we spent a lot of our lives with “screen-time”. We called it television. I remember my mom saying, turn that off and go outside and do something. I couldn’t take the TV to school or talk (text) to my friends on it… but if I could have, I would have. How many of us would have loved to watch Looney Tunes during English class? How many of our parents complained that we spent “hours” on the telephone in the hallway talking to our friends? 

But what fascinates me is how so many young people can’t change a tire on a car… or have never changed a lightbulb… or opened a real bank account… or have never voted. They have no idea what jury duty is. I’ve heard so many stories where they got ripped off because nobody ever explained to them that you don’t pay for someone to fix something until they’re finished. We were so busy during their school years turning them into testing robots, that we failed to make them critical thinkers (again – not all of them – but too many).

I have two (of three) sons who have worked most of their lives (and they’re in their 40’s now) without medical benefits of any kind because a lot of employers don’t offer them anymore (or you have to pay half your paycheck) in the name of reduced costs/greater profits. They’ve never been able to afford a house.

I know not all young people are like this, and yes, there are a few who are lazy and feel entitled and are clueless. But all of us “old folk” hold at least some responsibility. So maybe more of us older folks should feel a need to mentor. When you find one of those people who you work with or hang with or church with, take it upon yourself to inspire them to grow… to embrace things they were ever taught. Take them under your wing and – not do for them – but teach them to do for themselves. Do a little repair work on this village before it’s too late and make one person a little more sustainable in their life. Be Christ in their life without ever having to mention Christ… just because it’s the right thing to do. 

Reach me at pastordaveumc@gmail.com

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