My Intolerance
My grandparents were born into what is now known as the ‘Greatest Generation.” I would agree. Looking back through history, I see their diligence, perseverance and innovation creating many of the luxuries enjoyed today. My parents are baby boomers. They are the authors of vacation. Not lazy, they just found, recognized and defined, “Quality Time.” Thank goodness! I am a “Gen X” child and I gave birth to two Millennials.
I often look back as I look forward and this week working in my classroom, preparing for the students, yet unnamed, I will guide during the 2017-18 school year, reflection and forward motion have dominated my thought process.
As an adolescent I remember older members of my social world making comments as follows. “Your generation just doesn’t…….” or “The problem with today’s youth is………” I didn’t want to let those who had gone before me down. I listened, sometimes heeded, but mostly I worked to live above the expectation they expressed for the future. It was my future too and I cared deeply!
Now, I am of age to start my generational dissertation and I’ve found an intolerance. I am intolerant of this phrase: They ruined _______ when they took away/out prayer. (You fill in the blank.)
I spent the better part of my week praying, standing on tax funded property known as a public school classroom, alone, wielding a paint brush, just me and God. No one came along and stopped me. I prayed for children that may never walk through the doors of a church (I do not know and it will never matter to my agenda.) They are covered with prayer. I prayed for their parents, my colleagues, the staff, the administration, former students, my own family…….and no one came to stop me!
Biblical history tells of Daniel and his three friends, kidnapped, taken to a foreign country, taught a new language, given new names, completely robbed of their identities in an attempt by a government to legislate loyalty and religion. The threat of death did not intimidate them, they prayed anyway, their identity, their faith, was not shaken and God was faithful.
My childhood was filled with prayer. As a family we prayed at every meal, family devotions, sitting in the car as we traveled. We stopped as a family and prayed when those in our midst were in crisis. Individually and as a family we prayed……a lot.
I look upon today’s young adults. They are amazing. The best and brightest are answering God’s call and using the world’s vast resources to achieve a higher standard of education, understanding and compassion than I’ve ever seen before and I see them praying! They pray! Alone, together, publicly and quietly. Their future is my future and they are getting it done!
If you want prayer to happen then pray. Walk your local school campus alone and pray. Drive the streets of your community and pray. Go to a sporting event and pray. If no human ears hear you, that’s okay because it’s God’s ears that matter.
Public prayer is not evangelism. Love lived out in the lives of the righteous is! Pray! It changes things, especially you!
All My Love,
Gretchen
