Time For Our Veterans To Re-enlist

Scripture

13I am writing to you who are mature in the faith

because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.

I am writing to you who are young in the faith

because you have won your battle with the evil one.

14I have written to you who are God’s children

because you know the Father.

I have written to you who are mature in the faith

because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.

I have written to you who are young in the faith

because you are strong.

God’s word lives in your hearts,

and you have won your battle with the evil one.

1 John 2:13-14

Observation

John pays special attention to the generations in the church as he writes this letter. He reminds us that we are in this spiritual battle together and that we need each other. He paints the picture of the mature faith of the veteran saints alongside the fiery faith of the young ones. When we are willing to learn from each other we win and the enemy loses. When we buy in to the lie that the young people don’t want or need the voices and support of the veterans we all lose and the enemy wins.

Application

Alvin C. York, one of the most decorated U.S. soldiers in WWI, started as a pacifist and inexperienced fighter. A senior officer mentored him—teaching him not just how to handle a rifle, but how to reconcile his faith with fighting evil. When York’s unit was ambushed, he used those skills and courage to capture over 100 German soldiers. Without that training and mentoring, York would never have been ready. The young in faith are strong and can overcome—but they need the wisdom of those who “know Christ from the beginning” to channel that strength.  Approximately 25–30% of Gen Z youth likely grew up fatherless—either due to divorce, separation, or parents never being married. Among single-mother-led households, nearly half arise from divorce or separation, with the rest from single-parent births.  When a young person doesn’t have a father figure in their formative years it negatively affects how they relate to mentorship, emotional resilience, identity formation, and spiritual guidance as they enter the battle field of life. It’s time to dispel the lie that our young people don’t want or need the voices of the veterans. The State of Religion & Young People 2020 study found 69% of Gen Zers with a single adult mentor say their life has meaning, rising to 85% with 2–4 mentors, and 91% with five or more Christian Post. A strong 79% agree “I am more likely to listen to adults who care about me,” and 87% say they trust adults who invest relationally in them. I think about my Father-In-Law Dave Klose as an example of the impact a veterans voice can have on the faith of a young believer. A few months ago he heard our youth pastor needed some adult males as the youth group was growing. Lot’s of young men were coming to The Lord and they didn’t have anyone to mentor them. Dave answered the call and is now not only at every youth service but was a camp counselor at Summer Camp.  He set the record as the oldest counselor at Camp Cedar Crest this year as he’s about to turn 80 this November.  He decided age was just a number and that the best use of his time was pouring into the lives of these young believers. We need an army of veterans to rise up and get back on the field and fight alongside the youth. Or as my Life Group brothers say, "We don't retire we re-fire!"

Prayer

Lord, I keep thinking about how so many of Your followers are acting like we aren’t in a spiritual battle. That quote from C.S. Lewis really brings it all in to focus: "There is no neutral ground in the universe: every square inch, every split second, is claimed by God and counterclaimed by Satan." I’m done with the enemy taking the lives of our young people. Help me to raise up and army of men and women who will mentor the next generation. It’s time to stop losing ground and to start taking ground in Your Name!