The Greatest Generation

Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – January 3, 2018

To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: ‘We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds. Matthew 11:16-19

The greatest generation is the generation that follows hard after God. Citizens with a hunger and thirst for righteousness, who lead the culture to holy surrender–submission to the higher power of Providence. The benefits of Almighty God are not forgotten by the faithful but celebrated in grateful praise and worship to our generous Savior and Lord. There is no confusion in the preeminence of Christ. He is Lord, Creator, and King. Routine religion is transformed into a radical, vibrant relationship with Jesus. Great generations leave an enduring legacy for the Lord!

The generation of John the Baptist and Jesus dismissed them: John as a disheveled, demon possessed fanatic and Jesus as a glutton and drunkard who was unclean because of His friendship with sinners. Their authentic and fresh voices rocked the religious establishment from its apathetic, self righteous world and called them out to real repentance and true love. Like spoiled children, their generation complained, since John would not join in their worldliness and Jesus would not align with their pious pride. Soon, divine wisdom was proven right by their works!

“Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life” (Philippians 2:14-16).

Our generation can become a great generation by shining brightly for our Savor Jesus. How? First remember our citizenship is in heaven, we answer to King Jesus, so we must not lower our life standards to blend in with a “warped and crooked generation”. Instead we are a lighthouse of love to guide those navigating the deadly reefs of unbelief toward the shore of God’s salvation. The crazier our world becomes, the more Christians become a source of stability, comfort, and reason. Our generation grows in greatness as we are available to advance God’s eternal agenda.

Others may criticize your lifestyle as old fashioned and out of date, until they suffer loss and then they will seek you for solace and perhaps salvation in Jesus. Keep a high standard of holiness in the Holy Spirit’s power, and your light of love will grow brighter as the world darkens. Take a risk of relating to those who do not know the Lord by being with them and getting to know them. The self-righteous may label you as worldly, but as you are in the world, the Spirit will use you to influence and not be influenced by the world. Do what’s right and make Jesus your defense. Your generation will grow in greatness, as you courageously follow God’s will in His power.

“That is why I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways” (Hebrews 3:10).

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