“We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord” (Psalm 78:4b).
I love dandelions, even though some people consider them a nuisance in their yards. In the springtime, when we are so hungry for color, their bright yellow is a testimony to the cycle of seasons. Call it the kid in me, but I still like to pick a handful of the golden flowers, along with a few purple grape hyacinths, and a red tulip, and put them in a glass of water on my kitchen table.
I do admit that when their sunny blooms give way to white fluffy frizz, dandelions not pretty anymore. They become the flying dandruff of an otherwise attractive lawn. However ugly they are in this state, the dandelions are carrying on a fascinating cycle of perpetuation. The flying fluffs are really whirlybird seeds reinventing themselves. As is nature’s custom, this wildflower gives up its day in the sun to populate future lawns.
Perhaps we should be more like the dandelions. Instead of trying to enjoy our lives longer, we should concentrate on passing on what we have learned about life to the next generation or two. Paul wrote that older women should be guiding younger woman in how to be good wives and mothers, passing on lessons from life’s experiences (Titus 2:3-5). We are not meant to bask in the Son just for ourselves. We have words to share, pupils to mentor, acquaintances to encourage.
What has God taught you that you can pass on to someone?
I really like this inspirational thought. Generativity is something our culture does not choose to emphasize, and that means a poverty of wisdom for the next generations.