Am I Really the Future of the World?

I tell you what, the next time I hear some “grown-up” person tell me that young people are the “future of the world” or the “future of the church”, I’m determined to stand up, throw something at them and shout, “Oi! Grown-up person, guess what, young people are the world and they are the church just as much as you, old-timer!”

Pic of Girl on Couch

So many people (me included) recite that boring old line, “when I grow up, I’m gonna do this with my life, or I’m gonna do that with my life”. Who made that line up anyway? Have you ever stopped and thought how stupid it sounds? It’s like there’s this unwritten rule overshadowing our lives that says: you really can’t do anything significant in this life or in your church until you reach 25. Or maybe it’s 30, because that’s “grown-up”. Oh hang on, I’m 31, maybe it’s 40?

Not trying to generalise, but so many “grownups” believe it too. And all it does is enable us (by ‘us’ I refer to all us young people, 31 and under of course!) to deny any responsibility for this world until we’ve reached a certain stage of seriousness, income-level and job security. The thing I love about Jesus is that He loves you no matter where you’re from, what language you speak, whether you’re a girl or a guy, tall or short (thank goodness), and not least importantly, no matter how old or young you are!

Tell me, where did Jesus ever say, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven… oh but don’t worry about that until you’ve grown up, got a job, got married and bought your first house”? He didn’t! In fact, it was Jesus that told his disciples not to get between him and children, and that they are at the very centre of life in the Kingdom (see Mark 10:13-14).

From the day we were born, our culture has told us that we need to follow a process. It was drilled into so many of us by our parents, our school and our church. We grow up, go to school, get an education, get a job and earn good money. We then get married, buy a house, have kids and guide them through the same, monotonous cycle.

The Jesus I read about is radical. He calls you to a whole new lifestyle. Yes, you should go to University… if that’s for you. Yes you should get a good education! But the purpose of an education is not to make lots of money! The purpose is to equip you to serve people in the name of Jesus!

If you had your life over again

Tony Campolo tells the story about a sociological study done of 50 people over the age of 95 who were asked what they would do differently if they had life to live over again. They responded saying: They would risk more; they would reflect more and they would do more things that would live on after they were dead.

It’s easy to ask that of a 95-year-old as they look back over their life. But what about a 20-something? Or a high school student?

Campolo goes on and talks about the pastor from his home Church. After listening to the students in their Church give accounts for their year at college, the pastor got up and said, “Children, one of these days, you’re gonna die! You don’t think you’re gonna die, but one of these days they’re gonna drop you in a hole, throw dirt in your face, and go back to the church and eat potato salad!” (It’s a little hard to portray a black American preacher when you’re writing) Campolo’s pastor went on to say, “When you were born, you cried, everyone else was happy. But when you die, will everyone else cry and will you be happy? That depends on whether you live for titles, or testimonies!”

A title, or a testimony. I used to think being a fighter pilot was the ultimate job description for your business card. You meet someone for the first time, they ask you what you do and you say, “I’m a fighter pilot.” As if they’re not gonna want to be your friend! The problem is, it says in the book of Romans that one day we’re going to stand before God and give an account for our lives, and to be honest, whether we’re a fighter pilot or not isn’t going to impress God. Do you really think He cares if my tombstone reads:

Hamish Stevenson
BMus, BA, LTCL
Designer, Writer
Soul Purpose Editor,
Worship Leader
Cricket player, Fighter Pilot
Total life earnings: 1.2m
Rest in Peace

I seriously doubt it.

Four days ago, my granddad passed away after 92 good years on this planet. I sat in his funeral listening to all the people tell stories about his life, and the salient word that summed it up for me was: commitment. Granddad was committed. Committed to his four sons, countless grandkids and great grandkids, his beautiful Irish bride whom he had loved and stayed faithful to for over 67 years, but most importantly, God, and a life that honoured God.

I never knew anyone who was so committed to living out his Christian faith in this world. After 55 years in the workforce, he was known around the city as the “conscience of the business world”. If you were to talk to all the people who met him in depth, they would all testify how David Bruce Stevenson had challenged them, encouraged them or led them to Christ.

The little plaque that hung on his wall said, “Only one life twill soon be passed. Only what’s done for Christ will last.” He never chased titles or accolades; his life had one purpose, to see God glorified and His kingdom extended.

A refocus

It makes me wonder how differently things would be if we ‘young people’ actually lived our lives now how we wanted them to end. Would we take more care with our friendships and relationships? Would we criticise less and encourage more? Would we show love and compassion for the widow, the orphans and the malnourished? Would we spend our money differently? Would we give more and be less selfish?

Sometimes I think we’re so wrapped up in making our churches huge and buildings look flash that we’re totally forgetting the point about Jesus altogether. In America alone, the church has over 180 billion dollars wrapped up in buildings! All this to honour someone who says He does not dwell in temples built by hands. We need to get our priorities sorted out. Jesus came to bring good news to the poor, the oppressed and the suffering peoples of the world, and that means we need to get off our affluent spin!

The church I go to currently has a one hundred dollar challenge running. Every life group has been given $100 and told they have to use it to affect our community in some way. The stories coming back are nothing short of remarkable. Hearing of young life groups giving food and clothing packs to students, refugees and the homeless remind me again that we as a Church and a youth generation in this country can have a huge impact on our world, regardless of how big our church foyer is!

If you truly are a lover of Christ, everything about you will change. Your lifestyle will change. The stuff you buy, the stuff you want out of life, will change. You’ll become a lover of God and a lover of people.

Stop telling me that prosperity is God’s way of blessing those who are faithful to him! If that’s true, then what do you say about all those Christians in Africa who get up every morning and worship God with a depth that will make your Christianity seem superficial, but live in poverty that will stagger your imagination.

I’m not trying to kick the rich man down. It’s a matter of focus. Yes, there are many wonderful people out there who use their wealth to bless others and God. But if you allow money to drive your life from an early age, it won’t be long before your life is ruled by money and the love of it.

The reality is, we all have enough money and if you’re honest about it, most of the time we struggle because we’re not terribly wise with it. There’s a reason Paul said the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And it wasn’t me who first said, “it’s harder for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.”

In Romans, the apostle Paul urges us to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God and not to conform to this world and what it’s selling us (see Romans 12). When you die, when everyone stands around your grave, will they just stand there reading the titles on your tombstone? Or will they give testimonies?

Don’t wait until you “grow up” to make a difference in this world. Do it now! Give more. Serve more. Love more, because you are the church of today!

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