Sociologists apply themselves to looking at social trends in
order to understand more fully the human condition.
One societal trend that has been noted recently is “The
Success Sequence.” I came across this subject in reading a
National Review article of July 5 entitled, “What If Major
Causes of Poverty Are Behavioral?”
He points out that the major cause of poverty plaguing one
generation after another is “family disintegration.” He says,
“Some cause of this remain unclear, but something now seems
indisputable: Among today’s young adults, the “success
sequence” is insurance against poverty.” He then cites the
study that supports this conclusion.
The success sequence is defined in the study is: get at least a
high-school diploma, then get a job, then get married, and only
then have children. “Wang and Wilcox, who did the study,
“focusing on Millennials 28 to 34, the oldest members of the
nation’s largest generation, have found that only 3 percent
who follow this sequence are poor.” In other words, if a
young person wants to avoid poverty and be successful follow
this sequence.
Sadly, this sequence for success is being followed less and less
in 21st century America. To make sure this sequence
continues, Mr. Will advocates promoting this sequence in
various ways to ensure that we do not substitute supposed new
realities in old principles that worked well.
The question is where did these old principles that worked
well in America for most of its existence come from? Mr. Will
does not explain.
Another author, Melissa Mackenzie, addressed the success
sequence on July 6, 2017 in a piece, in the American
Spectator, entitled, “Church, Family Millennials, and the
Success Sequence.”
She agrees with George Will’s data, but she concludes the
values of “success sequence” have a very definite Christian
origin.
She writes, “Parents who believe that education, selfsufficiency,
and marriage before children are going to raise
their kids with those beliefs and more importantly, choose
environments that support those beliefs and strengthen those
beliefs. Their beliefs drive their reasoning which drives their
decisions.”
Ms. Mackenzie asks, “What institution reinforces lifeaffirming
beliefs and gives social and economic support to
people beyond their families? The State? No. The Church.”
We would agree because we know that the success sequence is
biblical and would be part of what the church would promote
for its young people.”
She further states, “The “old principles” that Will alludes to
are taught in church. Don’t fornicate or adulterate. Take care
of your children (I Timothy 5:8). Get married (I Corinthians
7:9). Work hard (Ecclesiastes 9:10). Don’t get divorced
(Matthew 5:31). Care for widows and orphans (James 1:27).
Take care of the hungry and needy (Matthew 25:35-45). How
quaint, right?”
The sociological study that points to the “success sequence” is
a recipe for a better life for all who follow the sequence.
As of July 2017, we find a diminishing number of young
people following this prescription primarily because of the
breakdown of the family and the trend away from church
attendance and adherence to biblical values.
As the Sabbath draws near, we can know that there is time
coming when the “success sequence” will be a worldwide
standard.
Have a pleasant Sabbath,
Gary Smith
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Friday, July 14, 2017
Friday, January 27, 2017
What Was Jesus Doing During Those 18 Missing Years?
In my personal Bible studies, I have been going through the Gospels. I’m using a harmony of the Gospels approach to go through the four books. Needless to say, going through just the first portions of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John has been delightfully enlightening.
Sometimes we can learn a lot from one verse in the scriptures. One most enlightening verse is John 2:12. The verse says, “After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days.”
What can we learn from this verse?
First of all, there is no mention of his step-father Joseph. The last mention of Joseph was at the Passover (Luke 2) when Jesus was twelve. When John 2:12 unfolds, eighteen years have passed and Jesus now has a mother, brothers, sisters (Matthew 13:56), and disciples. There is no mention of His father. In all likelihood, Joseph had died in the intervening years.
With the death of Joseph, a full weight of responsibility fell on Jesus. He was now the head of the family as a result of being the oldest son. He now had the responsibility of overseeing and providing for the household. Jesus was thrust into a new situation where He learned things He would not otherwise have learned.
We might think of Jesus’ situation in light of His service to humanity as our High Priest. Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
We know that we have an elder brother and High Priest who is able to help us in every circumstance because He’s been there. He knows what it’s like. He’s gone through it Himself. How did Jesus learn a lot of the basic things we go through in life every day?
With Joseph dying while Jesus is a young man, this is how, though not married, Jesus learned family responsibilities. He became the family breadwinner. He learned what it’s like to be responsible for keeping a family clothed and fed—for seeing that the younger brothers and sisters made it off to school on time—to see that they were all dressed and ready for Sabbath services—to see that there was food in the pantry—to set and stick to a family budget—to see that the bills were paid on time—to be sure that all of the many details of overseeing a family and household were carried out correctly and responsibly.
Jesus Christ needed to learn all the kinds of experiences and problems we go through in this life so we could have a High Priest who, as it says here, is able to sympathize with all that we go through in this life. Without a wife and children of His own, He became not just an older brother, but a kind of surrogate father to His younger half-brothers and half-sisters. And so, although He was never physically married, in this way He was able to experience all these kinds of things that we go through in this life.
In the same way, He also would’ve learned much about another major aspect of life other than family—that being the work world. He would’ve learned what our work and employment experiences are like by assuming management of the family business and being responsible for providing for a large family, dealing with customers, training other employees, making and living up to contracts, dealing with quality control, working with debtors and collecting on bills, focusing on management and planning and all the other many details that go with owning and operating a business.
He had to learn to deal with all these things and to experience firsthand these things that the rest of us have to learn and go through on our jobs. There’s a great deal to learn here about basic human relationships and interaction that He wouldn’t have learned any other way. This is how I think He spent those 18 missing years from age 12 to age 30—I think He most likely spent much of that time essentially raising up a family, bringing up His younger brothers and sisters and learning important lessons in life that He wouldn’t have learned otherwise. He had to go through this to be our high priest and intercessor. He wouldn’t have learned them any other way.
It is encouraging that we have in Jesus Christ a High Priest who understands the human condition we all deal with through His own personal experience.
Have a great Sabbath day,
Sometimes we can learn a lot from one verse in the scriptures. One most enlightening verse is John 2:12. The verse says, “After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days.”
What can we learn from this verse?
First of all, there is no mention of his step-father Joseph. The last mention of Joseph was at the Passover (Luke 2) when Jesus was twelve. When John 2:12 unfolds, eighteen years have passed and Jesus now has a mother, brothers, sisters (Matthew 13:56), and disciples. There is no mention of His father. In all likelihood, Joseph had died in the intervening years.
With the death of Joseph, a full weight of responsibility fell on Jesus. He was now the head of the family as a result of being the oldest son. He now had the responsibility of overseeing and providing for the household. Jesus was thrust into a new situation where He learned things He would not otherwise have learned.
We might think of Jesus’ situation in light of His service to humanity as our High Priest. Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
We know that we have an elder brother and High Priest who is able to help us in every circumstance because He’s been there. He knows what it’s like. He’s gone through it Himself. How did Jesus learn a lot of the basic things we go through in life every day?
With Joseph dying while Jesus is a young man, this is how, though not married, Jesus learned family responsibilities. He became the family breadwinner. He learned what it’s like to be responsible for keeping a family clothed and fed—for seeing that the younger brothers and sisters made it off to school on time—to see that they were all dressed and ready for Sabbath services—to see that there was food in the pantry—to set and stick to a family budget—to see that the bills were paid on time—to be sure that all of the many details of overseeing a family and household were carried out correctly and responsibly.
Jesus Christ needed to learn all the kinds of experiences and problems we go through in this life so we could have a High Priest who, as it says here, is able to sympathize with all that we go through in this life. Without a wife and children of His own, He became not just an older brother, but a kind of surrogate father to His younger half-brothers and half-sisters. And so, although He was never physically married, in this way He was able to experience all these kinds of things that we go through in this life.
In the same way, He also would’ve learned much about another major aspect of life other than family—that being the work world. He would’ve learned what our work and employment experiences are like by assuming management of the family business and being responsible for providing for a large family, dealing with customers, training other employees, making and living up to contracts, dealing with quality control, working with debtors and collecting on bills, focusing on management and planning and all the other many details that go with owning and operating a business.
He had to learn to deal with all these things and to experience firsthand these things that the rest of us have to learn and go through on our jobs. There’s a great deal to learn here about basic human relationships and interaction that He wouldn’t have learned any other way. This is how I think He spent those 18 missing years from age 12 to age 30—I think He most likely spent much of that time essentially raising up a family, bringing up His younger brothers and sisters and learning important lessons in life that He wouldn’t have learned otherwise. He had to go through this to be our high priest and intercessor. He wouldn’t have learned them any other way.
It is encouraging that we have in Jesus Christ a High Priest who understands the human condition we all deal with through His own personal experience.
Have a great Sabbath day,
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