Appreciate Gifts

"The glory of the young is their strength; the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old.”

Proverbs 20:29

Sometimes we frame the gifts of others with criticism instead of appreciation. I'm not suggesting that there isn't a kernel of truth in criticism but reframed with appreciation and seen in the right light; the church can be a beautiful portrait. Today's blog is the second in a series on complaints older and younger leaders have of each other.

The second biggest complaint younger leaders have about older leaders is not dissimilar to our resistance to change but with a bit of nuance. More senior leaders are inflexible.

Not a surprise. Don't you know that as you age, muscles atrophy and flexibility can suffer? Some older adults stretch well and maintain their tone, but most, even when they try, find they lose flexibility as they age. To quote some younger leaders, "They (older leaders) are set in their methods, not flexible in how work gets done. They refuse to let go of the power/authority/decision-making rights. Not forward thinking, not engaging the next generation, not adventurous."

As leaders age, their risk tolerance diminishes. They have been through a few "crash and burns" and remember the consequences. And while it may be the nature of things for older leaders to be a little less flexible and risk-averse, we should not let the institutions we love suffer the same age-related maladies. The church needs the flexibility and adventurous spirit of the young as much as the wisdom gleaned from long faithfulness. Older leaders must let younger leaders make decisions, learn from mistakes, and enjoy their successes. A healthy church needs the wisdom of older leaders and the enthusiasm, flexibility, and risk-tolerant spirit of younger leaders. Younger leaders need to respect older leaders and their wisdom, but that can be hard to do if older leaders don't respect younger leaders and give them a chance to shine.

Older leaders' second complaint about younger leaders is "They act so entitled." Some of their reflections include, "It's all about them. They feel the world owes them for their service. They want a spot at the table but don't want to earn it. They just want to start at the top without paying their dues. Lack of work ethic, They don't want to be boxed in by office hours. They leave for the day before all the work is finished." We all know young and old leaders who want more than they have earned.

But in the church, we don't earn our spot at the table; it is a gift. And we all have a place at Christ's Table. The lens through which we should look is not "merit" but "gratitude." Can we be grateful for the gifts of flexibility, agility, and adventure that come naturally to the young? Can we appreciate the strength, balance, and ability to recover intrinsic in youth? If the churches we love do not appreciate the gifts of youth as much as the wisdom of elders, the church will not survive us.

Older leaders need to be less critical and express more gratitude if they hope to mentor a new generation of leaders for the next generation of the church. Younger leaders, if you feel entitled, you must also repent. You are not the only gift God has given to the church.