I've been told many times I was “off my rocker”. This long-ago accusation that seems to tell someone their idea or action is strange; it's out of place; it'll never work. My imagination tells me of some obscure Israelite man in a seven day parade around this humongous walled city, called Jericho. He elbows the one next to him and whispers, “This'll never work – it's absurd – whoever dreamed up this parade around these walls taller than I've ever seen... well that person had to be off his rocker. This time would be better spent if we were home sitting in our rocking chair and listening to the sheep in the fields.”
“After all”, this fictitious person goes on to say, “If God wants this city to be broken down, why, He could just snap His fingers in heaven and it'd instantly happen. Our God made the dirt that Jericho sits on. He can just as easily level the walls and town, in the blink of an eye.”
This person doesn't realize that God includes people in His tasks so we can learn deeper meanings and value of His power and purpose. But you and I consider those around us, today. You might shout, "But my silver hair and their teen-aged orange hair just won't blend - not in a million years!" Maybe a quick question might open some doors here ... When Jesus hung on that bloody cross looking down through time; at your sins and mine, do you think His eyes, filled with agape love tears, also saw orange or blue hair?
God has prepared us seniors to be the best flesh 'n blood friend to today's ex-teen. ESPECIALLY better than most of their peers! (And CRITICALLY better than ANY of their on-line 'friends'.)
I've begun a list of reasons why our silver-haired generation is best suited for reaching out to those youth around us. Maybe a first step would be to prioritize and comment on these before adding your own.
____ Mentoring teens helps us to recall our 'long ago teen years' and the growing God brought us through then.
____ We're mature, experienced and settled ... in a word - anchors.
____ We have more time to listen
____ We can get teens to help us - begin the silver/orange connection.
____ We're not saturated with technology torment
____ Our knowledge of related scripture
____ Scripture authorizes us to mentor teens, and even their parents
____ Our daily testimony should already be speaking to them
____ Our days are often too empty and fruitless
____ Our daily health reminds US to redeem the time
____ We can spend more time in fervent personal prayer for them
