What is fallacious with kids as of late? They just do not get it. Have you ever heard someone say something like that? Or possibly you even thought it yourself? Honestly, people used to say it about me after I was a young punk. And the funny thing is, now, I find myself considering that in regards to the kids.
It looks like all of us are inclined to look down on the subsequent generation as lazy, ungrateful, or not as enlightened as us. And possibly with good reason. It’s easy to have a look at the young folks who shall be in charge at some point and feel a little bit concerned.
This concept that the generations coming after us aren’t quite as great as us is nothing recent. King Solomon talked about it in Ecclesiastes 2:17-21, when he said,
So I got here to hate life because every thing done here under the sun is so troubling. Everything is meaningless—like chasing the wind.
I got here to hate all my exertions here on earth, for I have to leave to others every thing I even have earned. And who can tell whether my successors shall be sensible or silly? Yet they may control every thing I even have gained by my skill and exertions under the sun. How meaningless! So I gave up in despair, questioning the worth of all my exertions on this world.
Some people work correctly with knowledge and skill, then must leave the fruit of their efforts to someone who hasn’t worked for it. This, too, is meaningless, a fantastic tragedy.
Ecclesiastes is a book about keeping life here under the sun in proper perspective. There’s a superb probability we’ll work hard, construct a fantastic life for ourselves and our families, after which find yourself handing it off to a generation who just takes all of it without any consideration. Sometimes, it’s out of arrogance, considering they’re smarter than the individuals who got here before them. And sometimes, it’s out of ignorance. They don’t understand how hard it was to get things so far. They might attempt to tear all of it down with that arrogance or ignorance.
Sound depressing? It can be if this world weren’t all we’re living for. But we’re living for something larger than this life under the sun. We’re living for eternity.
King Solomon concludes later in chapter 2 that there is nothing higher for an individual than to work hard, benefit from the life God gave us, and trust Him with the consequence. Ultimately, this whole world is His. We do our greatest with what we now have, accomplish His purpose for us now, and trust that God controls what comes after.
And yes, He’s even working in kids’ hearts as of late. May we not lose sight of the worth of working hard to honor God and trust that He has a plan for the world and each generation. And that is a reason for nice hope.
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