This election we have one candidate who is believed to
have taken advantage of the system and another who admits taking advantage of
the system and says it makes him smart. Hillary’s slogan is “Stronger
Together.” I like the slogan, but I don’t see that she is likely to bring us
together with all the mistrust surrounding her campaign. Trump’s slogan is
“Make America Great Again.” I’m not sure I understand what he means by that,
but I don’t think he is likely to be able to fix what I think are our greatest
problems—greed and all the divisiveness. So, I’m not too hopeful
about the chances of either presidential candidate making a positive impact on
our country. This past weekend I did see some hope though. I saw it in our youth.
My weekend was filled with young people. It began on
Friday morning with Grandparents’ Day at the North Cobb Christian School. Not
only was it fun to spend the whole morning with our seventh-grade grandson, but
it was encouraging to observe his history class where his teacher was
encouraging young students to think and question historical events, not just
memorize facts.
Then Saturday morning came and I spent the morning
judging a forensic tournament at Berry College. If you think young people
aren’t as smart as they used to be, then you’re just not paying attention to
the right young people. The ability to analyze what they see and read and see
all sides of an argument was evident in the 18 to 20 students I heard speak. I
think we have a generation of youth who can and may actually think for
themselves instead of listening to unsupported opinions!
But wait—there’s more. Saturday evening Rome High
School Band won their competition, and Sunday morning our FBC Youth Choir led
in worship. Then, on Sunday evening we went to hear Tim Reynolds, a Model High
School graduate, in an impressive violin concert. This young man, a product of
our public school system, is an amazing musician, a kind-hearted individual,
and is making a positive impact on those who hear him. (https://www.instagram.com/p/BMB6oGnj29q/)
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mLYeA-ORV4)
And young people are not just all talk; they are
generous, caring, and hard-working. I have observed that many of our youth today
are finding ways to serve both in their communities and all around the world. Instead
of spending money on themselves, they are going to Haiti, Peru, the Dominican
Republic, Africa and other places to help others. They don’t seem to be as
greedy for “things” as the previous generations have been. I just found this
video from my grandson at Auburn: https://www.facebook.com/PDemp?fref=ts.
Like I said, I am not especially optimistic about the
presidential election, but I am optimistic about our youth and their ability to
carry on. Don’t get me wrong. I know every generation has its problems, but for
the last several years I’ve seen a change. Every time I get a chance to visit
classrooms or spend time with young people, I am encouraged by both their
competence and their attitude toward helping others. So, as the song title says,