Letter to My Young Friend

Hi, I’ve been meaning to talk to you for a while about this, but haven’t been able to find the words. It may sound crazy to you, but I’m actually kind of worried about you and the path that you’re (#13) on.

 

Part of the reason that I haven’t written is because I’m afraid that you won’t listen to what I have to say or, even worse, that you’ll dismiss what I’m saying because you think it isn’t relevant. Another reason I’ve been reluctant to speak is that I think you’ll ignore what I’m saying because I’m older than you and I’ve seen many people your age reject what older people say, simply because they are older – I know that I did. If you missed the dripping irony in that statement, you should probably stop reading now.

 

Lastly, I don’t want to be labeled with the “J” word. Yes, I’m talking about being called judgmental. Believe me, I’m perfectly capable of being judgmental. It’s easy and fun to point out other people’s failings while ignoring my own. Think of what I’m saying now as more of a “I’ve got some problems in my life and many of them are a direct result of doing the same, exact things you’re doing right now” kind of attitude. Remember Solomon in Ecclesiastes? “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” Yes, even at the advanced age of 44, I am still striving to make friends, be needed/relevant, find meaningful worship, deepen my relationship with God, and find my purpose in the world. Just like you.

 

So, here we go…

 

How many R-rated movies can you watch before your thinking begins to bend to reflect the the mores of the people who make those movies? How many hours of prime time TV does it take before you start to think like them? The same applies to music, books, and anything else we use to fill our minds. Seriously, how about 10 movies? 20? How many hours of TV a day? 1? 3? Think about it.

 

You want to learn to be more like God, right? How do you do that? Spend time in his word, right? I know you know that. Walk with me here…if you spend twenty minutes a day in the Word and four hours a day immersed in the World, which one is going to win?

 

The scary thing is that it’s very subtle. You’re not going to wake up tomorrow a totally changed person, but you will be a little different. And the next day, a little different. And so on. I’m sorry if this sounds melodramatic, but remember, I’m looking at this from way down the road. I’ve already seen these changes in my own life and I wish I could take them back. Now I’m watching God slowly change my life so that I look more like him, but it’s much harder to change at my age. Think about trying to bend a tree: the older the tree gets, the harder it is to make it bend without breaking it.

 

No, I’m not saying you shouldn’t watch anything. But, if God is calling you to purity, how would you know when very little of what you put into your mind is pure?

 

More ranting to follow…