Let the Older Teach the Younger, A Thought on Our Divisions…

I know it’s been awhile since my last post. I was sharing this thought this morning with some friends and brothers in Christ and the Lord has really laid it on my heart so I thought I’d blog it!  So here it goes…

“That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.”
‭Titus 2:2-8 KJV‬

We’ve reached a time similar to what Isaiah spoke of when he said, “…the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable.” Isaiah ‭3:5‬ ‭KJV. I think in some ways our churches have contributed to us/them mentality by separating out our youth, creating a division that can lead to the idea, if we’re not careful, t‬hat they need something more modern and up to date, on their level than the Bible and they need younger folks to teach them. Paul however has a different take.

Paul instructed Titus that God’s way is for the older generation of godly men and women to instruct and set an example for the younger generation. The prevailing lack of this in our day has led to many issues we see today. We have an awesome responsibility to not only set the right example for the younger generation but to actively instruct young men how to be men, not as the world teaches, but how to be real godly men. And likewise older women should teach the younger women.

Our youth need to know that God loves them, that we love them and that our local assemblies aren’t just places to pass the time with rituals each Sunday and Wednesday but rather a vital place where we not only worship the true and living God but where we provide support and edification to our other brothers and sisters in Christ. And they need to be an active part in that!! I would submit that this is one of the reasons so many young people fall away in their twenties as the church sanctuary and the worship there seems foreign when they’ve spent so many years given something different. I’m reminded of a revival that took place in Nehemiah where the crowd STOOD FROM MORNING TILL MIDDAY to hear the word of God. Who was in that crowd? Men, women and all the children who were able to understand. “And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.”
‭Nehemiah 8:3 KJV‬.

I will finally add that it is important to note that when children came to see Christ, He didn’t appoint a few disciples (who interestingly wanted to separate out the children) to take them aside and give them a recounting of the truths of Christ on their level or take them to watch a movie but He specifically had them bring the children right into the midst of the gathering and even took them up in his arms, blessing them…

 

Think On These Things…

A Fellow Servant

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