Take this decade quiz to see if you can match the occurrence to the decade when it happened!
LET’S CHECK YOUR ANSWERS!
One of the top 10 candies of the 1940’s was Allan Hot Lips Candy. Shaped like red lips these candies are full of spicy cinnamon flavor.1
The age of credit started in the 1950’s with a cardboard Diner’s Club credit card. Now there are nearly 191 million credit card holders in the U.S. today!.2
Prices in the 1960’s were certainly lower than today. How much did a movie ticket cost? On average, it was a mere $ 0.69! 3 Did you guess the price of gas in the 1970’s? It averaged $0.36 per gallon! That’s hard to imagine, isn’t it?4
Do you remember the most popular toy fad of the 1980’s: the Cabbage Patch Kid dolls? 5 What occurred in the 1990’s? As you probably guessed, that’s when Nokia made cell phones available to the masses. 6
Who used these? Grandma! Who can research and post about them in seconds? A 5th grader! The different experiences of each generation have shaped not only their skills, but their values and behaviors as well.
WHAT DO WE HAVE IN COMMON?
1. VALUES
Different generations may not have skills in common, especially technical ones. But there is something our generations can have in common; our values. When we believe in Jesus, our values may be the same no matter which generation is ours. What should we value? God, each other and even ourselves.
Jesus said to him,
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, and with all your mind.
This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like it:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Matthew 22:37-39
2. RELEVANCE
Can’t getting older make people feel or be perceived as irrelevant? After all they don’t work, aren’t technologically skilled & their abilities may decrease. How about the young? Can’t their lack of life experience make them feel or be perceived as irrelevant too? Irrelevance is not what we have in common, relevance is. No matter how old, young, physically or mentally able, we are all relevant to our loving God.
Would God create an irrelevant person?
No! God loves us and has a plan for every single person: young, old or in between.
“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,”
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
God used people of different generations throughout the scriptures! Check it out!
- At age 8 Josiah became a godly king of Judah. (2 Chronicles 34:1-2)
- Samuel was a boy that God used as a prophet. (1 Samuel 3:1-14)
- As a teen Mary miraculously gave birth to Jesus. 7
- As a youth David slayed the giant Goliath. (1 Samuel 17:55-56)
- At age 30 Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dream & saved Egypt. (Genesis 41:46)
- At age 75 Abraham was called to become a great nation. (Genesis 12:1-5)
- At age 80 Moses led the enslaved Israelites out of Egypt. (Exodus 7:7)
- At age 90 Sarah miraculously gave birth to Isaac. (Genesis 17:17, 21:5)
Doesn’t this show that God can use us at any age? God has given each of us gifts and talents to encourage and help each other. As long as we are alive, God wants to use us.
We are all parts of it, (Christ’s body),
and it takes every one of us to make it complete,
for we each have different work to do.
So, we belong to each other,
and each needs all the others.
God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well,
Romans 12:4-6a TLB
ARE YOU ELDERLY?
“You’re not getting older, you’re getting better.”
Do you remember those words from Clairol’s 1971 Loving Care commercial? Although it was talking about hair, we can take their words to heart and use God’s wisdom to show “loving care” to others remembering, “You’re not getting older, you’re getting better!”
So, if you are reading this then you’re still alive. Therefore, you can have faith that God hasn’t finished using you yet. No technology or physical fitness required! Can you smile, say a kind, loving word or pray? How about sharing your wisdom, knowledge and encouragement? God can use all of these things so, go bear godly fruit!
They shall still bear fruit in old age;
They shall be fresh and flourishing,
Psalm 92:14
ARE YOU YOUNG?
Remember that God can use you like King Josiah, Samual, Mary and David.
So, follow God, step out in faith and go after His plans for you!
Let no one despise your youth,
but be an example to the believers in word,
in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity,
1 Timothy 4:12
EVERYONE!
We can have faith that God has a plan* to use the gifts He has given us at each age of our lives. He may ask us to share them with only one person or the whole world. The number of recipients doesn’t matter, only the giving does.
GOD CAN USE US
AT ANY TIME,
AT ANY AGE,
IN ANY WAY.
REFLECTION
Are you using God’s gifts?
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, as I write Romans 12:4-6a and say it aloud, reveal to me the gifts You want me to use now. Help me to act in faith to follow Your plan. In Jesus name. Amen.
IN FAITH LET’S USE THE GIFTS GOD GAVE US
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*For information on making Jesus Christ your Savior, email me or visit, http://www.peacewithgod.net/
1 Candydistrict.com
2 nevadainventors.org
3 mentalscoop.com
4 titlemax.com
5 antiquetrader.com
6 iteo.com.cc
*God’s Purpose For You– WHO MOLDS YOU? – DianeLese
Photo woman, peopel
Photo baby, Katie Smith
