Pit in my stomach. Maybe I’m just getting old.
I work with teenagers on a daily basis. Part of my personal mission and calling is, quoting Doug Fields, to “make young lives count.” I have this desire, however unattainable, to see teenagers become men and women who pursue God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength.
I must be getting old, because much of the time I spend with teens lately has left this huge pit in my stomach. Be it the music they’re listening to or the words they’re saying, I just can’t shake this notion that we are a generation of people who are being entertained by sin.
There’s this song that some of the guys listen to quite often called “I love college,” by a guy named Asher Roth. Here are some of the lyrics:
That party last night was awfully crazy; I wish we taped it. I dance my ___ off and had this one girl completely naked. I drink my beer and smoke my weed but my good friends is all I need. Pass out at 3, wake up at 10, go out to eat then do it again. Man, I love college.
The two lines that really bother me are, “When it comes to condoms, put two on,” and “Life isn’t wasted when you are wasted.”
So, the boys are entertained by this song, and I’ve got to admit that it has a nice, catchy tune. When I ask this group of high schoolers questions about it, they’ll say, “that’s just how college is.” I try to convey that no, no, that’s not how college is for everybody. I just recently graduated, for crying out loud. However, somehow Asher knows better than I do.
So, maybe I’m getting old. But, I know that God has so much more planned for these boys. I know that God has so much more planned for each of us. The choice is ours. We can continue being entertained by sin and dishonoring God. Or, we could start trying to live like Him. Every day, I try to chose the latter.
There is something that says “Lord, grieve my heart with the things that grieve yours.” Thank God for people who care.
I so understand.
The other day, I started browsing MTV to see what were the lyrics to some of the songs I hear my kids singing through the church halls. I wanted to cry. Youth pastors, on average, get less than 1% of a kid’s week, and with so many parents who aren’t invested in their kids’ lives, the world gets the rest. It’s amazing that any one of them survives the monstrosity that is temptation, sin, and despair. I guess that’s one of the reasons why we keep on doing what we do. It’s heartbreaking sometimes, but it’s worth it.
Guess I’m old too… but that definitely wasn’t my college experience either.
Pastor –
I ran across your blog while googling “giant pit in my stomach.” College for me was about studying hard because I had earned my way there with good grades.
Even now, some measley three years after graduating, the newly enrolled freshman at my almer mater are a definite moral downgrade from my graduating class. Been studying Jeremiah lately. Now that book will depress you if you read what God says through Jeremiah about the US. Our nation and our children are morally and financially bankrupt.
Harsh. yes. True? 93.2% yes.