“One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh.” So says the wise man about life. This passing off the scene is not abrupt, but gradual. It is a transition period, you might say. The one co-exists with the other for a brief time. There are cases where some stuck around longer. We are told, “Joseph saw...the third generation.” In these latter times, there are dramatic changes from one generation to the other.
One area in which this occurs is seen most vividly among our youth. How often we hear the previous generation use the classic, but well worn line, “What are our young people coming to?” These ancients have forgotten the same was said of them by the elders of their day. Yet they seem to have turned out alright, for the most part. Youth is something we pass through; we do not remain in it. And the end product usually amazes us.
We need to be cautious with our criticism. The younger generation of today is, for all practical purposes, the result of our culture. A culture we helped to create or either sat by passively and did nothing to change it. Generally, the youth of today were virtually brought up knowing nothing of loving discipline, high standards, or healthy morals. “There arose another generation after them which knew not...”
Young people are more apt to ask advice from those who keep their opinions to themselves. You may not approve or enjoy what you see or hear, but criticism seldom improves relationships. The fledglings usually migrate to sympathetic and understanding people who are good listeners. I wish I could say I live what I preach, but confess I fail miserably in this area. My loving wife, bless her memory, did not!
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