Generations

The Bible is replete with verses about cross-generation discipleship.
“These days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation” Esther 9:28
“You may tell the next generation 14 that this is God, our God forever and ever. He will guide us forever.”- Psalm 48: 13-14
“O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.” Psalm 71:18
“But we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever; from generationto generation we will recount your praise.” Psalm 79:13
“Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the LORD.” Psalm 102:18
“One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.” Ps. 145: 4
“Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children.” Titus 2:3-4

The more you look, the more you find references about sharing stories and teaching the younger generations. One of my favorites is in Deuteronomy 6, immediately following the Shema: “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”

Today in the church, there’s a sad lack of intergenerational contact. We all stick to our “Youth” groups, our “Empty Nest” studies, our “Young Marrieds” classes, our “College/Career” nights. And we miss out. Think of how many lessons we could learn from the older Christians! Think of the stories they could tell!

And even more so, we could mitigate and even prevent many of the common problems in the church today, if only we would cease with our segregation and allow the church to truly mix like a family does. Consider the benefits that a single person would receive from being in a prayer group with a young married couple. You’d be exposed to the common problems of early marriage and maybe even learn to deal with them before you have to face them. Or imagine a single woman struggling with loneliness. What blessing it would be to hear from an older woman who is also single! Think of the energy that young people would bring to an older group!

Now, I understand the benefit of accountability groups and sharing with people in your age group or stage of life. It’s obviously valuable to find people who are going through the same issues you are, and being able to pray with each other. But even more so is the necessity of learning from others’ problems and mistakes. Even more so, the guidance to be received from those who have walked those paths, waded through those rivers.

So I encourage you, Christians! Find people of other generations! Get to know them! Learn from them! “Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.”

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~ by Kate M. on March 17, 2010.