Get the Word out!

Design of the Week 04/09/08 – Bald Guys

Today’s feature came from the story of Elisha in 2 Kings 2:23-24. In this passage, Elisha has just performed a miracle for the city of Jericho. The land of the city was unfruitful and the water was unpalatable. The people of Jericho came to Elisha and asked him to do something for them. Elisha then took a new jar full of salt and threw it into the spring waters. He then declared that the Lord had purified the water and that there would no longer be death or unfruitfulness.

He then went to Bethel. On the way there, a number of young men (more than 42) came out and, seeing Elisha, made fun of him. They taunted him saying, “Go up you baldhead! Go up you baldhead!” When he saw them, he cursed them in the name of the Lord and went on his way. Then, two female bears came out from the woods and killed (tore up!) 42 of the young men.

Whenever I read this, I think of the lack of respect that many young people have for those who are older than they are. Many of the youth have been led to a place where they don’t want to listen to those who have already been where they are. They would rather mock, tease, and taunt their elders. They take no interest in the advice and wisdom that these men and women may have. Instead, they look to their friends and peers to give them advice that they use to make decisions on. I’m reminded of the blind leading the blind…

I’m not going to throw all of this on the youth though. There are many adults and elders that don’t get any respect because they haven’t earned it. Many adults think that just because they’re older or because their in ministries or positions of leadership in the church, they have the right to tell others what they should do. This is especially apparent in youth ministries. There are many today who seem to think that because they are the youth pastor or involved with youth ministry that they can just speak into the lives of the youth. They lead how they want, teach what they want, and try to command the youth. They expect total and unwavering obedience from the youth without question. For one, that’s unheard of. Two, that’s not scriptural. If those youth are saved, then they are brothers and sisters in Christ and need to be seen that way. You need to earn their respect. You can’t demand it from them. Well, you can, but you won’t get it and you won’t have the connection that you need to truly speak to them. If they’re not saved, then commanding them to be obedient to something that they don’t understand is just going to turn them away from Christ…

Those in the younger generations need to have respect for their elders because they’ve been there. They have faced a lot of things that youth face and can give scriptural advice that will keep them from making mistakes. Those in the older generations need to see the youth for who they are. They need to remember that they were young and dumb once and that the youth need leaders who are actually concerned about them and are doing everything that they can to help them live a life that glorifies God. We need to take care of our youth and teach them to understand and apply scripture to their lives so that when we’re gone, the body of Christ will continue to grow and flourish.