PERPETUAL ADOLESCENCE
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
Dad and extended
family were active sticklers for “Always business before pleasure!” I thank
them for it.
I agree with USA
senator Ben Sasse on his experience that led him to write a book on the
prevalence of perpetual adolescence in our nation. I have never been president
of a university but as a workplace trainer/facilitator, youth pastor, Sunday
School teacher of various age groups, CSB leader, OIC facilitator, et al, for
decades I’ve noticed this troubling cultural distillation resulting from
over-protectiveness, helicopter parenting, life-is-all-about-you =
life-is-all-about-me, decidedly putting fun before responsibility, placing desire
for children’s friendship above sensible parenting, and what really torques me –
the sad example of silly elderly men and women chasing the poncey fountain of
youth.
This is not to
say I don’t know mature adult young people. I do, some I judge more adult than
me in certain areas.
“Sasse argues
that many of the coming-of-age rituals that have defined the experience of
growing up in America – learning the value of working at a job that is
physically hard, deciding to continue or complete high school for precise
reasons, making conscious choices about leaving home to establish a household
and start a family, becoming economically self-reliant – are being delayed or
skipped,”
When did this all
begin; With Adam preoccupied with flora and fauna while Eve was committing
emotional adultery; With Caine’s life-is-all-about-me murder of Abel; Or _____?
What we do know is it existed in the early
church.
Peter exhorted, “since
you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through
the living and abiding word of God; for "All flesh is like grass and all
its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but
the word of the Lord remains forever." And this word is the good news that
was preached to you. So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and
envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk,
that by it you may grow up into salvation—if indeed you have tasted that the
Lord is good. As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the
sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being
built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual
sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (ESV 1Pet.1:23-2:5)
In Hebrews we read,
“In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with
loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was
heard because of his reverence. Although he was a son, he learned obedience
through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of
eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest
after the order of Melchizedek. About this we have much to say, and it is hard
to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you
ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles
of the oracles of God. You [still] need milk, not solid food, for everyone who
lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But
solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment
trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. Therefore let us
leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, …” (5:7-14; 6:1;
Rom.12:1-3)
If ourselves hindered
by attitude of perpetual adolescence we can be stuck in bemoaning the condition
of adult children in our nation. Or we can personally strive to “grow up into
salvation” and become spiritual and emotional examples and 2Corinthins 5
ambassadors of reconciliation unto those of various age; this being a mature
decision with immediate and eternal consequences.
EBB4
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