Though we wax nostalgic when looking back over our lives, and those reflections may paint things in rosy hues, softening the memories giving them a "glory days" feel, I feel growing up during the 70's and 80's was a far gentler time on the children and youth of our nations. There was no cyber-bullying, no sexting, and you never heard of school shootings. Though suicides happened they did not have the epic proportions to reach our nightly news reports.
Back in those days we spent more time outside than in, riding bikes, playing with the children in our neighborhoods, having snow fun in winter, and well, with only three TV stations you only had the news to watch at 6:00PM so outside was the place to be. This said children were more fit and healthy and social skills were more natural, not being confined to Facebook and texting...we actually talked to each other, and had more face time.
People just didn't seem as busy then. I remember my parents having lawn parties where the yard was filled with grown ups around the barbeque and the kids taking over the rest of the yard, my mom stayed home so there were always other moms coming over for coffee, and you guessed it the kids ran out into the yard to play while the moms had coffee and conversation.
The only sport parents ran to get their kids in was hockey, and that was pretty much boys only back then so there wasn't a congestion of after school activities to rush to. Yes it seems we were more laid back, back in the day.
There was also a place for God to come into our schools back in a time of excess. Sure we were caught up in disco and the metal and glam bands of the era, sporting bell bottom jeans and the awful polyester, leading to the neon and virtual fashion puking of the 80's where we all dressed like circus clowns with hair bigger than Texas itself, but there was room for "The Spirit in the Sky".
Creationism was allowed air time in classes without ridicule. This is not the case now. Evolutionary theory has become a gospel to those who would much rather teach our children that they are ONLY accidents and are not meant to be here. They are just part of an evolutionary process from some insignificant beginning. There is no significance to the core of our lives, we are accidents and for some children their lives were accidents as well confirmed by their parent's confession. Is it any wonder our children are so moody and suicides are commonplace.
Whether the bully or the victim of bullying, the children involved carry a pain that is expressed both inward and outwardly. The bully wants significance, to be noticed, to feel important, to feel powerful due to lack of internal power--perhaps they are looking for the purpose of life that evolution has denied them. The victim bears the pain of, "Why me?" This why can also lead to insecurity and feeling their life has no purpose other than to be a person socially diseased, someone who does not fit in, someone who doesn't matter. This can be exacerbated when no one steps in to defend the one being bullied.
Evolution says there is no purpose in life, you just are and no one knows why.
Creationism says that your life was planned and has purpose, and thus gives you dignity.
Your life is significant, and you matter. What you do matters to other people, and the fact you exist means the Creator of the universe wanted your life to be, and yes, He does see you! There is a segment in the Bible that says "what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?" (Psalm 8:4) Think of this, there is a whole universe, a cosmos that needs to be maintained in order, there are many lives in many wonderous and desperate situations yet one man asks, "What is mankind that you have such focus on them? What about us is so attractive to you, when we can be so beautiful and brutal to each other? Why do you even care for us, take time for us?" Is it not amazing that God Himself focuses His attention upon us because we have significance and importance--we have purpose!! Not one soul alive is without a purpose, a destiny, a reason to be alive!
Not all of us achieve the destiny our lives carry, perhaps evolutionary theory has robbed us of this treasure by giving rise to defeat within our souls. Perhaps we have believed lies that we won't amount to much, or that we were not even meant to be here. Regardless of what has caused the insecurity or the lack of hope or even the lack of destiny--having a future--there is hope and your life is a wondrous event enfolding before all of creation! Underdog or top dog we have an impact on the lives around us and that will be our legacy to the world.
Jeremiah 29: 11-13 says, "11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."
You will find your purpose and significance in the One who created you and planned your life from the beginning. His plans are for your good and to give you a hope and a future--and yes a purpose! Evolution is still just a theory while your life is a reality. Seeking God is to seek the original blue print for your life--the one without the scratches and revisions on it that eroded the foundations of self worth and self esteem from your being.
You are fearfully and wonderfully made and even GOD HIMSELF knit your wee form into shape within your mother's body. Oh how HE cares, and believe me you are NO accident you were born to be--you--amazing and wonderful, weird and unique! This is a reason to celebrate your life and to thank God for making you so wonderfully YOU!
Psalm 139:14
