Continuing the thoughts of the past couple of days, let me suggest that to finish the race of life well, we also need to think about, and then act on, the following:
We need to plan and prepare not to become obsolete, but to stay intentionally and irresistably relevant. We cannot allow ourselves to get stuck in our old ways or to resist legitimate change. Certainly, we need to be unwilling to compromise truth, but simultaneously we must be very willing to bend and adjust in the way that truth is packaged if we are going to finish well and stay effective in reaching our world.
To finish well, we have to stay useful. And to stay useful we have to stay current and connected. This requires not just a willingness to change, but an actual pursuit of change as a happy way of life. Otherwise we'll become obsolete and will lose our effectiveness to connect to others in our later years. And believe me (I've seen it happen), this obsolescence will lead to paralyzing struggles with ineffectiveness, discouragement, and even anger, despair and unbelief. It can result in us finishing as bitter and disillusioned old fogies.
To this end (among other things that I'll mention) we need to stay close to the godly younger generation. I'm already going after what might be called spiritual prodigies: young Christians who--beyond their years--show that by virtue of study and a true fear of God they are going hard after God and are living effective lives in their generation. Psalm 119:97-104 speaks of a young man who is wiser than the aged because of his meditation on the law of God, and faithful obedience to it.
As I get older, I want to find such younger generation God-fearing and truth-driven believers who are, at least in some areas, at least as wise as me and in some ways even wiser, so that I can hang with them to learn from them and gain grace and skill to finish well.
That's why increasingly I love to listen to my adult children as they keep walking with and growing in the Lord, and I will do this more all the time. That's why I love to ask questions of my younger colleagues in ministry both in my church and in my family of churches. That's why--even though I have some real spiritual reservations about aspects of the style and way of young leaders like Mark Driscoll--I have determined to respect and learn from them, because guys like him have proven to have a wealth of wisdom from which I can glean to help me stay effective even in my old age.
Yes indeed, I must refuse obsolescence by embracing the true wisdom of the young. This will keep me connected and useful until I cross the finish line.
Enough for now.
Wow. What an incredible show of God's grace in your life, to insist that there is wisdom you can learn form younger folks, when God has richly blessed you with a storehouse overflowing with wisdom. You are a remarkable man, pastor Tim.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, I am curious what reservations you have about Mark Driscoll "stylistically" (I think you put it), you have? I know he is young, and perhaps tries too hard to be "hip", but he is a thankful alternative to the Rob bell's out there who the younger generation really look up to. So, I am just curious.
yours,
Gregory
Thanks bro. It is a true joy to be ever learning and growing.
ReplyDeleteMy reservations regarding M.D. have to do with language he uses. I really do think that a biblical case can be made that there are words that are simply wrong to use carelessly or profanely as he sometimes does in his teaching.
That said I would not be as some who would throw out the b. with the b.w.
Mark Driscoll is a true man of God as best I can tell, and he sure is being effective in reaching his generation with sound doctrine and a call to holy living.
There is much in him that I want to emulate as I enter the final third of life.
Who are some of the God-fearing, truth-driven leaders of the next generation?
ReplyDelete