We Dropped the Vase

"Mom, remember that beautiful vase that has been passed down through our family from one generation to another?" Larry wondered.

"Yes, darling, it's very precious to me.", his mother replied, "Why do you ask?"

"Because this generation dropped it!"

As I look at what's happening across our land, I can't help but conclude that this generation of parents has "dropped the vase."

We have dropped the vase of moral values. "What feels right" has replaced "What IS right".

We have dropped the vase of authentic spirituality. We substitute busy religious activity for a vibrant and genuine relationship with Christ. Then, we wonder why our children don't seem enthused about spiritual matters.

We have dropped the vase of responsibility. When things go wrong, the first reaction is to hide from and/or blame others. It must be someone else's fault.

We have dropped the vase of industry -- hard work. Today's emphasis on amusements have deprived the rising generation the noble satisfaction of completing a good day's work.

We have dropped the vase of grand ideas. Brains shrivel when they're not stretched. Television and video games are mind shrinkers! Instead of reading excellent literature, we plop on the couch or stare at a screen like zombies.

We have dropped the vase of wonder. Lives stuffed with trivia leave little room for exploration. How sad to see folks slouch through an existence of mere electronic adventures. Life was meant to LIVE. It is not a spectator sport!

We have dropped the vase of discipline. Unlike the generations that have come before us, we are a "soft" people. We do not know how to endure hardship because we have never really had it. This softness leads to a lack of self discipline in most areas of life.

Once the vase is dropped, how can we put it back together again?

We can use spiritual super glue! God can rectify what we have wrecked!

Let's take a look at the G.L.U.E. that can put the next generation together:
G -- Good decisions based on timeless biblical principles.
L -- Love expressed by selfless servanthood rather than selfish demands.
U -- Unity built on truth rather than the lowest common denominator.
E -- Endurance fueled by the quest for self improvement.

Lives built on eternal values will stand the test of time and situation. The further away we get from these values, the more prone we are to live below our best potential. As every archer knows, error increases with distance.