Welcome to Voices In The Wilderness!

This week I’ve had some very interesting conversations with my 20-year-old son. He was kind enough to share something he wrote for school entitled, “The American Dream is Dead”. He argued that the traditional concept of the American Dream has collapsed for younger generations in the United States.  

I believe his view may be a view held by many younger people seeing the changes in American society. He wrote about how older generations (Baby Boomers and even Generation X) promoted a false promise: “that if people worked hard and followed societal rules, they could achieve financial stability, home ownership, family, and a meaningful life.” 

According to my son, that promise has failed modern young Americans. It leaves them to face economic instability and diminished opportunities. They also confront a bleak future. My son suggested in his writing a “generational betrayal”, where they were encouraged to believe in a system that no longer works! Additionally, he shared the following points to prove his argument: 

1. A Collapse of the American Dream
   • Rising economic pressures
   • Greater financial insecurity
   • Fewer opportunities for upward mobility
2. Generational Frustration and Betrayal
   • Young Americans were told success was attainable through hard word and effort
   • In reality, structural conditions made that path much more difficult
   • The result is a feeling that the system was misrepresented or manipulated
3. Declining Birth Rates as Evidence
   • He noted birth rates have fallen below 1.6 children per woman, which is well under the previous rate of 2.1
   • Decline since 2007, with a roughly 20% drop in earlier measures with little recovery since
   • Social distress couples can’t afford families
   • Uncertain about the future and a lack of world and economic stability

In his paper, he spoke of political and social criticisms, including the worsening of current political leadership and systems that were designed to protect Americans being broken. He spoke of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, which is symbolic of deeper corruption as well as systemic, moral decay, and privilege of the rich.

As I read, I felt for the younger generations; it bothered me tremendously that this is what we have left our children. We have to begin to make changes to give them all a vision of HOPE! Many of us should now ask the question, what can we do? 

This topic is a huge one. I don’t believe there is a simple answer, but I do believe we first have to have hope. I believe many of our youth don’t have as much as they watch events play out. 

What We Need Is….Hope! 

I believe the beginning of that hope is acknowledgement that an omnipotent God exists. “For since the creating of the world, God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” Romans 1: 20-21.

We witness many today choosing not to believe in God.  Some choose to turn their backs on faith, and because of it have nothing to hope for and no one to assist them. We are to be examples of what God is like. Our responsibility is to empower our children to believe and to have hope that God will help them. . 

These scriptures offer a picture of reassurance of God’s plan and peace that transcends understanding. That peace allows for us to trust in Him and have hope! 

Matthew 11:28-30 NKJV -“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for 1 am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.“

The Lord doesn’t desire any of us to toil and suffer, He want’s our burdens to be light providing rest in Him as we trust Him. 

Jeremiah 29:11 NIV – “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.”

The Word shares that God’s plan is for a “hopeful” future for us all. 

Simply stated, we must act, vote, show our faith, through kindness, love, compassion and fortitude despite what we see in the world. We must present a kinder, more loving example of what the world should be for our children. We must be the example every day for our children and the younger generations. 

John 17:14-16 NIV- “I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.”

Remember,  you are in the world, but not of it. Be different, be unique, be kind, loving, encouraging and hopeful in this world. Be in it but not of it!  

Let us not forget, the Gospel means good news for all situations!