When more young black men are in prison instead of
college, then we have a problem. When I talk with
teenaged retail shop co-workers and hear about their
abortions, drug use, and out-of-wedlock babies they
don't want, then we have a problem. When I hear
about school shootings, kids being molested by
adults, and endless shootings on the East Side of
Buffalo, then we have a problem. It doesn't matter
where you live, what color you are, or what your
background is: we are all in this together, and we
need to make a change. It seems to me that most
young people today have plenty of stuff but little
love. They retreat to their rooms to watch TV filled
with sexual innuendo, play violent video games,
listen to Eminem, Marilyn Manson, Lil' Kim and 50
Cent on the radio, and get together to smoke pot and
drink 40 ounce bottles of liquor. After all our
ancestors fought for, so we could live better lives,
don't you think they'd be shocked with the state of
our society today?
Mark
Weber
Want to know why kids are killing kids and/or having
kids? Want to know why most young people today think
nothing of one-night stands and drinking to get
drunk? Want to know why church-going grandmas can't
seem to get through to their thug-life grandsons who
deal drugs and drive Escalades?
Why are young people in such dire straits today?
It's because no one lead them on the straight and
narrow path. We have a generation of young people
who don't know what it's like to be cared about and
loved. The adults in their lives failed to be there
at home when they came home from school, they failed
to help them with their homework, they failed to
take them to museums, libraries and concerts… they
failed to care. Yes, that's it: they failed to care.
They were too busy with their jobs. They were too
busy divorcing and re-marrying, thinking they'd get
a better deal the second or third time around,
instead of sticking with their commitment. They
decided to move far away from their relatives, or
live in an apartment building where everyone is
literally apart. And so, we now have a generation of
young people desperately searching for someone to
love and care for them.
Young people have very few ways to escape their pain
of being neglected. They pierce their bodies. Or
they consume alcohol, or drugs. They have
pre-marital sex because they crave intimacy, only to
find out that the one they gave their heart to up
and moved on to another person days later. And where
are the parents in all of this? Nowhere. That's
right. You can't seem to find them around. They
mysteriously drop their kids off at the mall for the
day. They send them to daycare or get them a
babysitter, or just leave them home alone for hours
at a time. When they are home, they're too tired to
play games with their kids, or help them with their
homework. No, instead, the kids sit on a couch,
eating junk food, watching TV.
So how can we improve the sad state of our society?
The answer is simple. I urge each of you reading
this to invest your time and energy into the life of
one young person, between the ages of 5 and 20, who
you already know. Spend time with them playing
games, taking them to events, sharing stories with
them, and listening to their concerns. Hug them.
Give them gifts. Let them know you appreciate them.
Then, perhaps, maybe you will hear about fewer
school shootings and back-alley abortions. After
all, the kid you invested in knows better than to do
that. They know that someone's watching over them,
and wouldn't be pleased if they did something wrong.
You see, if you can take responsibility for just one
young person in your life, to steer them in the
right direction, you will have done more to change
this world than any social program or million-dollar
plan could accomplish. Simply spending time and
energy on showing intentional and consistent love,
care and concern for a young person in your life
will mean that you, yes you, are going to help
change the world.
At church we can talk the talk about loving one
another, but let's go one step further, and walk the
walk. Let's show Christ's love for us to the young
people around us so they can finally see that there
is hope for something better in this life and
beyond.
Mark Weber’s “Christian Music Makers” is available through www.lulu.com/christianmusic
--If you are interested in receiving Christian music news in your email, visit the ZEEBOZINE website at www.geocities.com/zeebozine
