So many young people in our world feel lost right now. They are rightly concerned about their job opportunities and salary expectations, their overall finances, and their health. They feel life has no meaning, they wonder why they should have children, why they should marry. To many young people, family seems to have lost its importance.
One survey I recently read indicated that 1 in 4 young adults are already ruling out having kids. Only half of Gen Z and millennial adults plan to start a family, as financial pressures and global anxieties continue to deter young adults from having children, a new survey reveals.
Another survey showed 2 in 5 young adults surveyed say marriage is an outdated tradition. The report found the cost and current economy appears to be a barrier for young adults, with 73% stating they felt it’s too expensive to get married.
We all know that there is much scripture supporting the family as essential in God’s world, so it is disappointing, but not surprising, that we might see these attitudes in young people today. The Bible is filled with scripture supporting family life and the importance of children in a family, two examples are given below.
Psalm 127:3-5 – Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.
Proverbs 22:6 – Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
As Christians, how do we respond when we see such data from surveys like those above presented to us? Has anyone ever heard of Oliver Anthony? He is the young, previously unknown, country singer who wrote and sang a song titled Rich Men North of Richmond. That song leaped quickly to #1 on the music charts and has continued to be popular. The song deals with working class struggles that leave people feeling dejected and forgotten by the political class in our country. Anthony has had a difficult life and suffered a major injury in a job that almost led him to commit suicide. Instead, Anthony chose to give his life to God, and he quoted the scripture below in a recent interview he did that reached a large audience.
Proverbs 4:20-27 – My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. 21 They are not to escape from your sight; keep them in the midst of your heart. 22 For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their body. 23 Watch over your heart with all diligence,
For from it flow the springs of life. 24 Rid yourself of a deceitful mouth and keep devious speech far from you. 25 Let your eyes look directly ahead and let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you. 26 Watch the path of your feet, and all your ways will be established. 27 Do not turn to the right or to the left; turn your foot from evil.
Anthony concluded this was “good guidance that you would want a father to give to his son”. Most of us do not have a platform to reach thousands or millions of people, so we are more limited in how much influence we can have in reaching people about the need for God in their lives. However, we still have a responsibility to seek out those unbelievers as we can, for the following reason.
Luke 15:10 – In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
I conclude with a passage written by David Platt, a well-known Christian author.
God, I read this story in Luke 15:10. It makes me realize there’s only one thing worse than living lost. What’s worse is living lost when no one is trying to find you. And so, God, we pray that you would help us to be a reflection of your seeking and finding love to people right around us.
Are you doing your part to reach the unbelievers, or those who have lost their way and are now searching again for hope and meaning in their lives? Be a difference maker in your life walk for Jesus!