Freedom is Having the Least Amount of Chains

Bam! Just like that, I have figured out the Millennial mystery. I have deciphered the mysterious motivations that lead to this Millennial generation's methods and madness. On Tuesday we had our interns (all Millennials) join our staff meeting and join our pastors in our bus riding adventures around Phoenix. We have about 20 interns this summer who have brought energy and passion, skill and joy, enhancing the ministries of our church. I am very thankful for all the effort Pastor Joel put into coordinating this year's Living Streams Internship.
 
While we were discussing some of the good stuff that has been happening around the church one of the interns spoke up. He said things went well with this one event because everyone knew the leader wasn’t just, “a judge-y person above them trying to control them.” Ding, a bell rang and a light went on in the philosophical part of my mind. Millennials have an immense aversion to, “judge-y people above them trying to control them.” Parents, bosses, co-workers, and anyone older can easily come off as judge-y or controlling. 

Those who want to work well and harness the immense good and potential in this youthful, Millennial generation must understand that judging them and trying to control them will not work. You may be right and you may be better, smarter, and more experienced, but you became that way by learning and with time. The Millennials just want the same chance. Life will teach them the hard and heavy lessons that are required for maturity and character-building just like life taught you and me those lessons. So, my message to those frustrated with the Millennials is to give them some time and remember that when you were their age you weren’t as awesome as you are now.
 
My message to the Millennials is, and always will be, to never forget the importance of listening and learning. Those people you see as “judge-y and controlling” could actually be the people Jesus has sent into your life to save you from some pain or wasted years. Maybe their judge-yness and controlling-ness is because they know something you don’t know about life and love. 

You may think that freedom is getting to do whatever you want or feel, but that is a dangerous lie. The truth is that freedom is having the least amount of chains. Often the older generations come across judge-y and controlling because they do not want you to have to deal with the chains they wish someone would have saved them from.
 
I am not exactly sure how this ties in with our study in the book of Daniel, but I do know it is an issue within our church family. I would be interested to hear if you see any lessons from the life of Daniel about this topic of generations and freedom. We will be studying Daniel 7this Sunday. 
 
All God’s best to you and yours,
 
David