A Trip Through Time
by Lonnie Evans
Are you a time travel wannabe like me? There are societies and cultures I’d like to drop in on just for a little piece of the action: Shakespeare’s England…Socrates’ Greece…The city of Atlantis (before it was lost)…
Well then come on into the IGen 1000, time travel’s newest invention! Buckle up. Sit down. Set the clock back…way back…there. Nice landing! I bet you’ve always wondered about this place in this particular time as I have. Is it as Hollywood portrays it: ancient, serene, somewhat mystical, or is it more vivacious and gritty?
Look, over there on the hill—obviously a pilgrimage of some sort. Let’s catch up to them and see what’s up. It’s an impressive array of people. I guess nobody’s working because it looks like all the adults in the town must be here. School must be out too—this looks more like the loosely organized hysteria of a Friday night high school football game than a coordinated religious celebration. Kids are everywhere all scattered around the hillside, as are adults of all ages and their caravans with pack animals. Hey, how about we get a first-hand account from that gentleman and his wife over there. They appear to be looking for something – or someone. Maybe we can give them a hand.
“Pardon me sir, I’m not from around here, could you tell me what’s going on?”
“Yes, if you don’t mind walking along with me, I will tell you.”
“Sure thing.”
“We are all coming back from a big celebration at the temple.”
“It must have been a huge event. We noticed all kinds of animals…”
“No you don’t. There are no pigs!”
“OK then, I stand corrected. We noticed a variety of pack animals…agreed?”
“Yes, that’s better.”
“And we noticed children and teenagers and adults of all ages.”
“I suppose so, but what are teenagers?”
“Sorry, I guess that concept hasn’t been invented yet…Is this always the way you travel?”
“Is what always the way we travel?”
“With all these people and animals?”
“What do you mean is this how we travel? This is how we live?”
“By the way, I noticed you seem to be looking for something.”
“Yes, my son appears to have gotten lost in all the hubbub.”
“Joseph, have you thought about checking back at the temple?”
Stride back into the IGen 1000 with me and let’s head back to our time.
So, did you catch it—something very different in the way our societies work? We visited Israel, circa 10AD, and caught a glimpse into the Hebrew culture of Jesus of Nazareth’s day as he participated in it as a child. It was common, ordinary, everyday life for masses of people of all generations to be participating in life together. It was not odd for Joseph and Mary to have gone so long and not notice that Jesus, their son, was missing. He was presumed to be in the horde of people heading home from the temple.
How different it is for those of us who live in less communal societies. We live in more organized ways, being part of organized groups which are often categorized on generational lines. This method of organization by generations follows us from our early days in the educational system to our older years in the healthcare system.
This difference poses a real dilemma for those seeking to be faithful to God’s purposes and ways as they age (and, by the way, in addition to breathing and sleeping, aging is something we all have in common). The Word of God presupposes a rich intergenerational life like that of the Jewish culture of Jesus’ day.
“We will not hide them [the parables and teachings of God that our fathers passed on to us] from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our forefathers to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands.” – Psalm 78:4-7 (NIV)
How do you apply the obvious principle here—to pass on the wonderful deeds and life of God to the next generations—when you live in an age-stratified society? You not only live in an age-layered culture but one that seeks to strap you into life with your own generational peers? And the next generations’ principle is clearly intended for a society of people, not solely one’s own nuclear family of generations. So, how can an older person in an age-segregated society pass God’s stories and ways on intergenerationally?
1. Enjoy your generational friends and break the generational mold.
Let’s be completely honest about aging and maturity. Human aging can be a struggle and it’s helpful to have generational peers around who understand that in real time. So please, make strong generational friendships. A bibilical view of maturing though must grapple with the human aging process while seeing our spirits renewed daily by God’s Spirit (II Corinthians 3:17-18). Real maturity understands that it’s lessons are to be shared widely…intergenerationally. Sure, our society creates unpleasant molds for senior adults. But young people admire those who have the fortitude to break the mold. And they both love and respect older people who have the guts to do so.
2. Throw yourself a social change-up.
Effective baseball pitchers learn when to shift speed on their pitches in order to keep batters guessing. You can do the same thing socially by varying your activities. If you are only throwing fastballs with your generational peers, get a new grip on the ball and try and intergen change-up. Go to a town hall meeting. Spend an evening at a high school football game. Invite a friend to go with you to a middle school band concert. If you really want to throw off convention volunteer at a local elementary school or give some time to help out at a local children’s charity. And if you really want to try something wild, host an intergenerational party around a seasonal theme, a popular movie or a shared interest.
3. Be IN
INvite, INitiate and INspire INtergenerationally. Sure, it’s understandable if you have some trepidation—you are entering into what amounts to a cross-cultural experience. You won’t always get the language or the mannerisms. You may not always be comfortable. So what? The purpose of God is for the experienced to engage the lesser experienced in His ways. If you don’t share any commonality of experience, that is going to be difficult. So, don’t wait for inexperience to do what only you can. Invite and initiate and you will inspire enthusiasm for God and respect for yourself.
Lonnie Evans is a generations strategist and certified talent consultant. Read more of his thoughts and writings about synergy amongst the generations at intergenuity.wordpress.com.