Isaiah 44:3-4 (NIV) For I will pour water on the thirsty land,and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams.

This scripture is a marvelous promise from God for today’s families, but it raises the question, what are the children, teens and youth of the upcoming generation like? What differences are there from previous generations? I think that parents must keep a few characteristics in mind in order to achieve the promises in Isaiah 44.

  1. They are a young generation in the midst of a world filled with sin that is very attractive.
  2. They are growing up in middle of a series of new philosophical theories – dazzling, amazing theories—but many of them are false and destructive. They are theories that promote evil, hate and debauchery.
  3. On the other side are young people immersed in many types of stimulus at the same time. They become stunned. Away from them they are confused, though they do not help them to think, gain depth or analyze who they are. Above all, they never help them to find themselves. They learn without depth, and so they live superficial lives without critical thinking. They seek only to be well and happy without being concerned about how.
  4. It is a generation that is breaking with traditions that have, in one way or another, given people, towns and nations their identities.
  5. This generation is living among a great number of religions. Some are totally empty or only demand rituals, but they do not give answers to the their personal needs. It drives them away from the church and makes them question the existence of God. Later they add ways of life from other societies as an effect of globalization, which can reach even the furthest town. This phenomenon does not allow them to integrate into their own hometown. It might even make their community reject them without offering anything in return. All of this, along with blind faith in technology which offers quick answers to questioning people, blocks them from finding spiritual life in a genuine encounter with Christ.

Facing this reality, what should parents do? I suggest you read the second part of this article to find some answers you as a parent can have for your children in order to fulfill the promise God has for them.

May God help you in all you have learned today.

Dr. Miguel and Irene Garita

Family Care Ministry, Church of the Nazarene, Mesoamerica Region