Devoted

My generation (those born before 1980, some say 1978 and before… either way it’s me) are generally referred to as “GenX.” We are an interesting bunch. We are, as John Mayer has observed, is “Waiting on the World to Change.” For whatever reason, we have felt somewhat powerless to change things because we are not the dominant power. This inaction has lead to a kind of apathy of “why try, I can’t do anything anyway.”

But thankfully, this is changing, and we need to be sure to direct our efforts in a positive direction. It’s changing because of Millennials (the next generation, born after 1980). Thom and Jess Rainer have done a lot of research about this generation.

One thing about this group is that they are ready to do something, more than that, they are a huge block of people, bigger than the Baby Boomers. That puts my generation in the middle, so we have a choice, we can sit back and resent the fact that we’ve been “passed over” in the grand scheme of things, or we can get with the program. I vote for getting with the program and making a difference for the sake of the gospel!

Millennials have a ton of energy and they convert that enthusiasm into immediate action, this leads to a kind of “cause of the month” mentality or “ADD Activism” as I like to call it. One week it’s all about Africa, then it’s about reducing your carbon footprint, then sex trafficking, then politics, and so on…

Millennials are going to rule the world in the near future, the sooner GenX makes peace with this, the better off we’ll be. There are just too many of them for it to be otherwise, so we need to learn to lead from the “second chair.” We need to lead by mentorship of the Millennials, just as Paul valued investing in the next generation.

You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

2Tim 2:1-2

Don’t spend too much time on the “cause of the month” be thoughtful about what matters, invest in what really makes a difference.

I wanted to share this graphic. It illustrates this point. Some people are on a “vegan crusade” to not eat any animal byproducts. In reality, it can’t practically be done. You could spend your entire life protesting, blogging, and throwing red paint on people and you would make no difference… personal choices are fine, but invest your life (your activism) on something where you can actually make a difference for eternity:

UPDATE: I found these helpful “infographics” describing Millennials: