They're not Standing
Insecurities. Something I know many of us live with: I know I did as a teen and even today. My life was spent in trying to be more. More of what? I still 'til this day don't know. There really was no destination, only a plea. A plea for love, adoration and affection... but every time I fell short. Because I was allowing my love, adoration and affection to come from things that were fleeting, when I had a hope in Something so constant. (blog about God's sovereignty in that).
As some of you know my major is Youth Ministry, so that means that I spend and will be spending copious amounts of time with teenagers. I can't tell you how many times people have told me, "You're working with teenagers?! Teenagers are the worst... they're so hard to work with... they don't listen... they're a lost cause... etc." Let me stop you there: they really aren't any of those things. What they are is a generation with no faith. They are a generation that is grasping so tightly on the things of this world they blow away with the breeze. "...If you do not stand firm in your faith then you do not stand at all." Isaiah 7:9b. They are not standing at all.
Yesterday (yes, I asked her if it would be okay to blog this) my little sister was watching YouTube video's, when she came across this scary how-to video. She has always wanted dimples, and to her dismay she came across "how-to give yourself dimples". This resulted in her pressing makeup brushes into her face until they left little dents on the sides of her face. Dents that are now red markings that look like scabs. Let that sink in for a second.
This is what our generation is leaning on, and pressing into.
This is a generation of seeing Caitlin Jenner as a hero, and not someone that needs serious help. They see church as a place that thrives on hate though the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:13). We are watching them take their image out of God and into themselves. They are taking their identity out of the One who created the most brilliant galaxies you have ever seen for someone who made a 'clutch' nude lipstick that is selling for $100.
We were not all made the same, because God assigned us each to unique and beautiful jobs. And yet, we are standing by and watching it happen. Every day.
We can not remain luke-warm in our faith. Especially not now. We have a hope to give them, an identity to take-on, a love to be felt and not earned. Grace upon grace and a Savior to rely on.
There is no doubt that we are on our way to persecution, but I would rather give hope to the hopeless than watch social media define who they are rather than who our God says they are. I would rather watch light enter the eyes of those who have been darkened for so long. I would rather them hear of the ultimate joy they could have, even if they don't believe it quite yet.
God chose me. He pursued me. And I want others to know that He, too, is pursing them.
This generation, more than ever needs encouragement, and more than that they need the hope of Christ.
Pieces - Steffany Gretzinger
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fI9aqfmVmPc
Romans 12:3
"For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned."
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