When we were very young, our parents broke their promises. Their promises to each other, and their promises to us. And millions of American kids in a very short period of time learned that the world isn’t a safe place; that there isn’t anyone who won’t let you down; that their hearts were much too fragile to leave exposed.
The blog author follows this with these statements:
With no where to turn for safety, our fears ferment under the surface into anger. But this toxic brew cannot stay there. It must find a release. Some of us find very destructive ways to alleviate that pressure. The rest of us let it out by mocking things previous generations took seriously—government, work, family, relationships, leaders, and the future. We are a generation that believes nothing is sacred. And if nothing is sacred, everything becomes profane.
I am left to consider the teenagers and children that I work with at church. Could it be that if their parents believe nothing is sacred, they themselves are unaware that such a category even exists? Could it be that they do not respect the sermon, the lesson, the teacher, the music, the worship, the building, each other, or (apparently) themselves because they do not understand that anything at all is worthy of respect? Is it possible that consequences and punishments can motivate them to specific behavior, but that speaking to them of reverence is speaking to them in language they do not comprehend?
Perhaps not. They have been trained (more than not) to be "reverent" during prayer in our children's ministry time. But whether they are merely obeying specific instructions to be still and quiet or whether they grasp the concepts involved, I cannot say.
Blogged with the Flock Browser
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