The wisdom of older believers is like the stuff we collect in a dusty garage. We acquired it a long time ago, used it extensively and then moved on to other things. We now take all that stuff for granted. We know it’s there, but we don’t think about it much anymore.
These old things, however, would be extremely valuable to someone else … someone who’s younger, someone who never had it before. That old baseball glove you haven’t touched in several years … a boy in little league would probably use it everyday. That old baby stroller you bought for a kid who is now a teenager … you obviously don’t need it anymore but it would mean so much to a new mother who can’t afford to buy one.
This same principle applies to all the knowledge and wisdom we collect in our lives … all the hard lessons, all the mistakes, all the perspective we gained from experience. We take much of it for granted. It changed us. It shaped us. It sent us into new directions and onto different paths.
But most of us are not thinking about paths we traveled a long time ago. We’re thinking about the paths we’re on right now. We’re trying to figure out how to overcome today’s new obstacles, not the ones we overcame 10 or 20 years ago. We’ve already been there and done that.
NEW GENERATION, SAME OLD ISSUES
Think about all the young people who are now traveling on those old paths of yours. To them, your old memories are their present reality. Your old fears are their current fears. The things that used to tempt you are now tempting them. Imagine if they had the wisdom you now have. What if they could avoid the traps you fell in, the valleys where you wasted years and the wounds that scarred you? Wouldn’t that wisdom be an amazing gift to offer?
I don’t know the meaning of life. But without a doubt, imparting what we know to younger generations is something that makes life meaningful.
On the surface, it looks like teens and millennials are facing new challenges that we never had to deal with. But that’s just not the case. None of them are dealing with anything that is new. Technology has definitely advanced and there are many new platforms for young people to use, but they’re still dealing with the same old feelings and the same old temptations.
Boys and young men are tempted to look at lustful images and to waste their time on unimportant things. Girls feel the pressure of acting and looking like other girls, so they’re tempted to sell themselves short and compromise their integrity. It’s the same old traps, over and over, generation after generation.
YOU’RE QUALIFIED FOR THIS JOB
The only ones who stand in the way between them and those traps are older people like you and I who have some wisdom and insights to share. After all, we know how it feels to fall in those traps. We know exactly where they’re hidden. We remember how and why we fell into them.
For many of us, it wasn’t even an accident. We celebrated our freedom as we jumped into our bondage, ignoring the wise people who warned us. We made it easy for others to put chains around us. And then we spent the next several years trying to get out of them. You know exactly what I’m talking about.
And now we see young people – careless, immature and blind – walking in those same dangerous places where we fell. The adults who ought to be guiding them are not doing their jobs or they’re totally out of the picture. When these kids are out late at night with friends, feeling pressured to do something they will regret, it’s your voice and your wisdom that’s playing over and over in their minds. That simple conversation you had with them might be the one thing that keeps them out of trouble.
Young people don’t need to repeat our mistakes to learn what we learned. Many of them will do it anyway, but we never know how God will use our words in someone else’s heart. Half the time, they just need to know that someone’s paying attention to them, someone who cares whether or not they do the right thing.
JUST SHOW UP
So how does one make a genuine effort to impact the lives of younger people? Well, lots of things in life are complex but this is actually quite simple. You simply have to show up. You have to be where they are and make sure they know you care about them. You’ll have to listen to the issues they’re facing – some serious, some ridiculous – but in every case, incredibly crucial from their perspective.
On occasion, they’ll ask for your opinion on things and sometimes you can squeeze some wisdom and truths into the conversation. But it must always be delivered from a humble attitude of service. It must be about them and not about you. If they sense that you just want to hear yourself talk, they’ll lose interest and tune out, especially these younger generations who have no attention span.
The time, attention and energy you’re giving them could’ve been used on a hundred other things that would’ve benefitted you. But these offerings of yours are greatly pleasing to God…just like every effort we make to build his people and his kingdom. And it’s amazing what God can accomplish on your behalf while you’re taking care of his people. He’ll bless you in ways you never could’ve expected.
Let’s get busy with our Father’s business. Volunteer, coach or play any other role that allows you to serve the youth that God wants to reach. Your wisdom and insights might be old and you’ve already fully applied them to your life. But all of that knowledge is new to the next generation…and they desperately need it.