Tag: generations

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

More than a memory

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Judges 2.

It only took one generation. The people were serious when they promised, “We will serve the Lord” and got rid of their foreign gods (Joshua 24:22,23).

I turn one page in the bible and read, “There arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel. The sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals” (Judges 2:10,11).

How could that happen? Did no one tell them? Or weren’t they listening? It was probably a combination of both. The powerful accounts of crossing the Jordan on dry ground and watching the wall of Jericho fall were interesting and inspiring. But it wasn’t their experience.

I don’t fully understand my father’s experience of being away from home in the South Pacific for eighteen months during World War II. In a similar way, my grandchildren will never know what it felt like to watch the Twin Trade Towers collapse on September 11, 2001. The youngest of my grandchildren will look at pictures one day and ask, “What were you wearing a mask?” They didn’t live through the uncertain times of a pandemic.

That reality sounds sad until I remember that His story is different than history. The biblical accounts of God at work open our eyes to see him at work in our lives. As we gather for worship and live out our faith in the world, it becomes our experience, too. It is our story.

Someone is always watching you, learning from you. They might be related. They might not. Let them see someone affected by the God who was, and is, and always will be. Let them see someone who loves because they’ve been loved.

Posted in Life

Bringing wisdom

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Photo by TheStandingDesk on Unsplash

The new person in my online Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) group a couple of weeks ago was Mophath, who lived in Nairobi, Kenya. It’s cool to study the scriptures each week with men from all over the world. Some members of my small group live on the east and west coasts of the US, others are in the midwest states of Illinois and Iowa, and four live in Africa. Earlier in the year, one guy lived in Hawaii.

Our leader asked Mophath to introduce himself to the group and tell us a little about himself. He’s twenty-two years old, is studying at the University of Nairobi, and learned about BSF from a friend. When he checked out our group, he saw many “who could be my grandfathers.” Yes, our group leans a little toward the retired side of life. We’ve got a few young guys, and Mophath will lower our average age a few more years. “But,” he added, “I am thankful for the wisdom you all bring.”

His comment revealed a respect for those who are older that my culture doesn’t necessarily display. Maybe I am more aware of that as I wade a little deeper into senior citizenship. I get senior discounts now, so I guess that’s where I am. I don’t feel that old, but I get a weekly reminder when I see myself on Zoom. Mophath’s comment made me think about my respect – or lack of respect – for those older than me. Or even those my age.

Feelings of disrespect bubble up when some folks can’t seem to handle technology. Some struggle with self-checkout lanes, smart phone updates, TV and cable remotes, and resetting the clock in the car for Daylight Savings Time. But wait a minute. Don’t we all struggle with those things?

I get a little agitated when I have to wait for someone who’s moving a bit slower than me, or takes a little more time to express an idea. That is, until I remember that I make more mistakes when I rush through something. I also say some really stupid things if I don’t think before I speak. Just relax.

It’s bothersome when those who are older have such little tolerance for the appearance, language, and habits of a younger generation. I know, it’s always been this way. The “generation gap” is nothing new. I feel out of place among those who fully embrace tattoos, piercings, brightly dyed hair, K-pop, and choosing their own pronouns. Guess what? I’ve advanced to an older generation.

I haven’t yet felt too much disrespect from a younger generation. I think the way to dodge that is to show an interest in them and listen to their story. Perhaps that’s wisdom I’ve discovered over the years. I should give God credit, too. He said that you reap what you sow. Show respect, and you’ll receive respect.

Posted in church, Ministry, preaching

“What are you talking about?”

Posted on by William Douthwaite

marcos-luiz-photograph-292698In the introduction to my sermon yesterday, I referred the HGTV show “Fixer Upper.” I knew that many in attendance were fans or had at least seen or heard of the show. Of course, you never hit the bull’s eye every time. There were some there who leaned over the person next to them asking, “What’s he talking about?”

It is so energizing to make a pop culture reference and watch as faces light up with familiarity. It is equally nauseating to see puzzled looks on faces who have no idea what you are referring to. It is humbling to either take the time to explain it, or discard what was a wonderfully powerful way to illustrate your point.

When you are speaking to an audience that ranges in age from two months to ninety-two years, with different experiences, tastes and interests, it is very hard to find that idea or image that everyone is familiar with. There are some who have never seen a Star Wars movie, don’t know anything about Jerry Seinfeld’s defective girlfriends, don’t read the newspaper, own flip phones, don’t Instagram, got a D in world history, only order wine by it’s color, and can’t name any of the Paw Patrol. I’m not saying that’s bad, I’m just saying you better remember that dynamic when you’re speaking.

So what’s a preacher to do? First of all, it helps to know your audience. When I preach, it is almost always to a congregation I know well. I know many of their interests, tastes, occupations, hobbies and families. I’ve been to their homes, talked over coffee, taught them in classes, and have a pretty good idea of what they are familiar with.

Second, you can’t just depend on one illustration or example. You need to throw out a bunch to catch the attention of pre-adolescents, young parents, millennial, baby-boomers and those of the greatest generation. It helps to hang out with and get to know people from all walks of life.

Finally, a lot of it is just trial and error. Thankfully, a swing and a miss one week can be redeemed the next, because Sunday and the next sermon comes around at least once every seven days. I got on base yesterday. We’ll see what happens next week.