PASTOR DAVE’S MUSINGS FROM THE HEARTLAND

September 13, 2023

THE NEXT GENERATION

Diane and I have season tickets for both the Purdue’s men’s and women’s basketball teams.  For several years we were also members of the booster club for the girl’s team.  When we cannot attend a game in person, we try to watch it on TV.  Very often the games are on the Big Ten Network.

One of the goals of the Big Ten Network is to help fans get to know the players better.  There are interviews after the games.  Every week they have a program that focuses on different players from the various teams in the Big Ten.  During games the announcers talk about the players, their backgrounds, personal interest stories, and their accomplishments.  Diane and I got to know the players on the girl’s team by attending gatherings that is held for members of the booster club after games.

If the young men and women I see on the Big Ten Network are representative of the next generation then the future of our country is in good hands.  When interviewed, they show pose, character, knowledge, and self-confidence.  Much of what they have to say focuses on “team” and not “self.”  Many of their personal stories focus on accomplishments in the face of struggles and challenges.  Almost all college sports teams are involved in some kind of community service.

The Boy Scout troop that our church sponsors has had four scouts achieve the rank of Eagle over the last year and half.  Recently, I worked with the troop on their “God and Life” award.  Sunday the church recognized seven of them for completing the program.  The various youth programs in Plymouth are preparing youth to be responsible and caring adults.

Almost daily the media and newspapers have stories of youth and young adults who are accomplishing wonderful things and who are doing acts of kindness.  Recently, there was the story of a group of youth who got up early in the morning to shovel out the walk of a neighbor who needed to get to a medical appointment.  Because of their act of caring she was able to make her much needed appointment.  Every year the ROTARY club hears from high school students who the club sponsored to attend the district RILLA camp for leadership.  Their stories are inspiring.  Two of the present members of our club attended RILLA when they were in high school.

The scriptures are filled with stories of youth and young adults whom God entrusted to fulfill his mission.  It is very likely that Mary was thirteen or fourteen when she gave birth to Jesus.  This was very common during the first century C.E.  David as a youth defeated Goliath rescuing the Hebrew people from the Philistine threat.  It was a young lad that provided the fishes and loaves which Jesus used to feed the 5,000 men.  Samuel was a young boy when the Lord called him to be His spokesmen.

Not all stories about youth and young adults are positive.  The front page of the local paper has numerous stories of young adults who have been arrested for a variety of crimes.  Not all young adults involved with college sports have a positive story to tell.  Some are suspended or let go from their teams for a variety of infractions.  Never-the-less I find that almost all of the youth I know or whose stories with which I am familiar instill confidence that the future is in good hands.  I wish them well and look forward to what they will accomplish and the character of the lives they will live.

(This article was originally published March 17, 2019. Comments may be sent to davidh15503@embarqmail.com.)