The WISDOM of Young Adults

Back in the summer 8 young adults and 4 mentors sat in my living room and talked about a new media ministry effort idea. We talked about all kinds of things. From the challenges of sharing a Christian worldview and faith to the challenges young women face in professional settings. We looked at media examples and talked about what reaches young adults today and then I asked a question. 

"What is one thing you want for the people in your generation?" 

Their responses made my heart fill with Joy. 

  • Peace 
  • Hope 
  • Want friends to have a relationship with God 
  • You’re loved and you matter 
  • You’re not alone 
  • Presence and mindfulness about what matters 
  • I hear them and they’re not weird for the experiences they are having 
  • Courage to walk through your own struggles 
  • There’s purpose for trouble. 

When you head off to college, you are going to experience new things. To learn and discover new ideas, new paths and ultimately to learn more about yourself as an emerging adult. As a college student, or a soldier, or as an apprentice, you are asking older, more experienced people to help educate, teach, and grow your knowledge and to some degree experience as well. 

The dictionary gives the definition of Wisdom like this: "the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment; the quality of being wise". It is often viewed as the combination of knowledge combined with "informed" experience - usually because it involves a measure of learning by failure. 

I'm passionate about seeing young adults discover their identity in Christ, and I know many parents, church leaders and Christians that are desperate to see a generation of young adults step into owning their faith with courage and grace. As I listened to these young adults, it struck me that I was the one being taught. I had my own experiences with this world, but not through their eyes. I was the one reading books, but lacked the experience of seeing the world through their eyes. 

As they spoke, I heard wisdom. As they spoke, I was proud to walk with them, and I'm eager to see them lead in the ways that God calls them to. 

Young man, Young woman - continue to be humble enough to learn, but trust that God goes with you and gives you the confidence to lead. For all of us older than 25 who seek to lead... be humble enough to learn, but trust that God goes with you and gives you the confidence to lead. There is wisdom in these young people that we need to learn from!

Mike Westendorf
Awake and Alive Director

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