Gap Band

Fred W Batten Jr
Aug 31, 2018 · 3 min read

Let’s just be honest, there is a gap between generations. The gap shows up in the matter of home training — that is to say, the way parents raise their children. This is not all bad. There needs to be a chronological difference between the age of parents and children for a host of reasons which would include maturity.

Now among the differences we could site music styles, fashion, technological literacy, and certain particularities regarding children and discipline. If you are over fifty you were taught to say, “Yes, sir” and “No Ma’am” to any adult without regard to their family connection. Today, it seems that that courtesy and level of respect has skipped a generation. A few days ago, I heard a teenager reply to her mother, “I said, yeah”. My homegrown over fifty training rose up inside of me and screamed, “Unacceptable”.

While some gaps between the generations maybe small and insignificant, some differences are huge and significant and may cause societal consternation. But a little bit of home training based on biblical principles can go a long way in helping all generations to be better persons in a mixed-up world. The Israelite parents never knew what their daughter would grow up to be. But in Syria many miles from her home this little maid was a witness for home training which includes knowing the God of the Bible. She had a spiritual base. She knew where to find natural and spiritual healing. She pointed Naaman the seriously ill Syrian military leader to the prophet of God. In so doing Naaman received healing.

We may not know the extent to which our teaching will help our children. We must bridge the knowledge and wisdom gap separating our generations. How? Society can close the gap by governmental funded programs like President Barack Obama’s Fatherhood Initiative, faith-based groups providing formalized rite of passage activities or by informal, yet intentional, planting seeds of wisdom by parents, grandparents and others into the lives of the next generation. Mutual respect and understanding can be a reality. “And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous — to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1:17 NIV).

Placing our confidence in the Word of God let us, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6 ). “The ground will give ya’ what ya’ put in it”, said Sir T. D. Wade, Sr. The ground of your mind will yield the seeds you put in it. “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom” (Luke 6:38 ).

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