I had to quote that line from Rush Hour, because it is pretty much what I am talking about today. I have been thinking a lot about how we communicate with different generations on multiple levels. I am going to keep it concise and note the subjects so you can skip ones that you may find lame...
Personal: If you were to compare Baby Boomers to GenX and GenY, you will see a huge communication problem. When I was on active duty with the Navy, I had a GenX boss (about 15 years older than me) talk with me to try and figure out how to motivate my age group (Gen Y). He was frustrated because all of the tactics he used on his own age group had very little impact on us, and he had no idea. This piqued my curiosity, and it is something that individuals need to figure out to effectively lead.
Church: This brings up a greater problem though, concerning the church. Whatever it is that motivates Gen X to go to church does not motivate Gen Y. One issue that I have found is that churches are often times started solely for evangelism purposes but they do not understand something that can appeal to all generations. You can also see a distinct personality difference between the pastors who represent the different age groups. If a pastor gets up there and makes cheesy jokes and talks about how God is going to give us prosperity, my age group will probably roll their eyes. Meanwhile, if the pastor is in my age group and if the church plays music geared towards my age group, a lot of older people will call it "too loud" and reject the "authentic and unpolished" message. These are actual discussions that I have had that capture common themes, and I think it is important to move towards a happier medium.
Work: Simply giving a promotion or a pay raise does not always work as motivation. After watching parents and older friends get laid off, retired with a swift kick out the door, or give their lives to companies that do not care about them, we can be sort of jaded towards big business that has little interest in anything but money. Notice the companies that my generation really gravitates towards and see how many of them support humanitarian causes. Also, what about the way in which they are appreciated by their employer? If the boss or coworkers are able to show appreciation to an individual and let them know that they are valued, they are more likely willing to stay... sounds basic, but not many places do that.
Family is another area, but being that I am a single guy... I have my ideas but I don't feel qualified to talk about that. But I just wanted to talk today about how we communicate with one another on a generational level. If we want to succeed as families, churches, and businesses, it is significant that we can relate with one another and understand where the other is coming from... as the old saying goes, communication is the key to success.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Friday, October 14, 2011
God's Timing is Key
I will admit, I am a 29 year old who is single and is not using my degree at the moment! Sadly enough, there are people who will hear that and automatically judge me. Whether it is that I just finished a masters degree and I am starting on a second one, or the fact that I am 29 and not married that people will give me labels such as "loser", "damaged goods", "incompetent", or "commitment-phobe". Strangely enough, I look around at my fellow 20-30 somethings that are in the same boat as myself and I can't help but wonder if these people are on to something. But then again, I laugh about it and realize that it is not a big deal.
"Not a big deal??? What do you mean?!" Most would respond. When thinking about my job situation, I will eventually get into a job that is in line with my calling, but it may not be quite yet. I am entering the worst job market in a very long time, and you cannot expect me to just get a job. Trust me, I have met many people who did not deserve the job that they have, but they are currently occupying that job and it does more harm than good. It has been frustrating watching it, especially when I realize that I could be getting a pay check to do their job and do a better job (no one you would know, don't worry!). But I realize that God may not want me in that negative situation. I have been offered jobs and I have turned those jobs down. Again, you probably think that I am crazy. But if you knew the details of the job and the track record of those who went before me in those jobs, you would see why I passed. I did not want to end up jaded while working a job that did not pay me and cut me off from my friends. So instead, I am applying across the US looking for a ministry position or somewhere God is calling me to.
Now, lets talk about that pesky biological clock thing. A lot of friends and relatives seem to wonder when I will get married. Thats when questions about my sanity, pickiness, or commitment issues come up (I am sane, I have healthy standards and am okay with commitment). I have talked at length about this back in February ( http://jasonchrista.blogspot.com/2011/02/love-differently.html ) if you want to read it, but I won't revisit it. In general though, I get a lot of flack for being on the wrong side of twenty and single. What I find frequently is that even though I may be getting older, it is not that I have any serious life altering problems. In fact, I am finding that most of the people that it did not work out with was for the best because it would have made me miserable. I would much rather be content and single than married and miserable. In general, I do not hear about too many happy marriages. So that is why I am content to wait.
In closing, I would like to encourage you if you are in the same boat as me. We don't always know what God is up to, but I find that sometimes not being in a situation is better than being in a horribly bad one. What I find is that even though Abraham was promised a nation, he never saw the nation. He just saw Isaac. He was able to see God's promise, just not in full bloom. So maybe God has us in a place where we are antsy and trying to be patient, but we are safe. Now is just the time to pray that his will comes sooner rather than later! =)
"Not a big deal??? What do you mean?!" Most would respond. When thinking about my job situation, I will eventually get into a job that is in line with my calling, but it may not be quite yet. I am entering the worst job market in a very long time, and you cannot expect me to just get a job. Trust me, I have met many people who did not deserve the job that they have, but they are currently occupying that job and it does more harm than good. It has been frustrating watching it, especially when I realize that I could be getting a pay check to do their job and do a better job (no one you would know, don't worry!). But I realize that God may not want me in that negative situation. I have been offered jobs and I have turned those jobs down. Again, you probably think that I am crazy. But if you knew the details of the job and the track record of those who went before me in those jobs, you would see why I passed. I did not want to end up jaded while working a job that did not pay me and cut me off from my friends. So instead, I am applying across the US looking for a ministry position or somewhere God is calling me to.
Now, lets talk about that pesky biological clock thing. A lot of friends and relatives seem to wonder when I will get married. Thats when questions about my sanity, pickiness, or commitment issues come up (I am sane, I have healthy standards and am okay with commitment). I have talked at length about this back in February ( http://jasonchrista.blogspot.com/2011/02/love-differently.html ) if you want to read it, but I won't revisit it. In general though, I get a lot of flack for being on the wrong side of twenty and single. What I find frequently is that even though I may be getting older, it is not that I have any serious life altering problems. In fact, I am finding that most of the people that it did not work out with was for the best because it would have made me miserable. I would much rather be content and single than married and miserable. In general, I do not hear about too many happy marriages. So that is why I am content to wait.
In closing, I would like to encourage you if you are in the same boat as me. We don't always know what God is up to, but I find that sometimes not being in a situation is better than being in a horribly bad one. What I find is that even though Abraham was promised a nation, he never saw the nation. He just saw Isaac. He was able to see God's promise, just not in full bloom. So maybe God has us in a place where we are antsy and trying to be patient, but we are safe. Now is just the time to pray that his will comes sooner rather than later! =)
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