Submitted by columnist Sarah Hudson Pierce
According to syndicated columnist Cal Thomas, “a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll lends credence to this way of thinking, especially where Generation Z/millennials (those born in the mid-1990’s to mid-2000’s) and Generation X (those born in the early-to-mid 1960’s to the early 1980’s) are concerned. The conclusion was drawn from a poll of 1,000 adults earlier this month found that “younger generations rate patriotism, religion and having children as less important to them than did young people two decades ago.”
The poll contrasts with a similar survey conducted by the Journal 21 years ago. When asked them which values were most important, respondents sounded like their parents and grandparents, saying “hard work, patriotism, commitment to religion and the goal of having children.”
It appears that the more things we possess the less likely we are to feel a dependence upon God.
No amount of remodeling or building larger more impressive houses, or wearing fine clothes will make up for a lack of class, or bad manners, or an ugly abusive, unloving personality that tends to want to show off all that we own.
Living beyond our means causes us to covet what our neighbors, our families, even our parents own, wanting to take our parents money to build bigger and greater houses to impress our neighbors not caring how our parents or siblings feel about what we are doing and in the same breath lording it over the poor, the homeless, who are “worthless, who are no account’, event planning prepared speeches, to insult those who work for an honest living, unaware that pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.”
I’ve seen it happen as one disaster after another happens, causing more problems, all the while blaming others for our problems — as husbands and wives fight non-stop, causing children to run late if at all to family reunions, trying to escape the conflict the minute inside the door because they are sick and tired of bickering, of being put down until there’s no turning back.
As if a hurricane wiped out the family at its core, greed overtakes the family leaving them destitute, out in the street, just like the ones they criticize on the evening news,who live under the bridges, in boxes or rental property where tenants can be evicted for not paying.
Where does it all end?
It can only end when we turn back to God, to falling upon our knees and turning our lives over to Jesus and remembering “a little with contentment is great gain.”
It’s what we own that ends up owning us, keeping us awake as we strive to accumulate more and we end up with less of what matters most, being loved and caring for each others as we count our blessings at the end of the day
Will we ever get there?
Contact Sarah at [email protected]