You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, (NIV)

Have you ever, like me, only wondered how your parents got so smart after you left their protective umbrella? I remember plain as day, truly believing I had the world figured out when I was...wait for it...16! I didn't need the advice of my elders. Finish high school, graduate from college, marry, start a career, buy a house, raise a family – how hard could this be? I remember explaining this to my Dad with a straight face. He listened with a straight face (but I'll bet he and my Mom had a good laugh in private). He didn't try to change my idealistic understanding of life, though, and he continued to support and encourage me even after I stepped out the door to live life on my own.

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Flash forward to today – looking back with the benefit of many years of life experience, I now recognize the wisdom and sacrifice of my parents. I wish I had seen this when I was 16. Why didn't I?

The short answer is that, at the time, I didn't understand God's perfect plan for generations to live in unison. The Bible is clear on the benefits. A quick search turned up 30-plus verses addressing this subject. Probably the most well-known is the fifth commandment:

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“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you” (Ex. 20:12).

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Remember that God is love (1 John 4:8). Thus, honoring an older generation shouldn't be predicated solely on the law but also on love. Through love, a younger generation blesses the older. This works both ways. Through love, an older generation blesses the younger, too. (Read 1 Cor. 13:4-7 if you need a quick refresher on Biblical love.) The fifth commandment beautifully defines the synergistic effect of God's plan that unsurprisingly makes each generation more wonderful because of the other.

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There are a couple of caveats though...

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First, each generation needs to be Godly in their focus. The Old Testament is rife with histories of generations following, then not following God. The fourth commandment spells out the dangers to all generations if a generation is not focused on honoring God: “For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments” (Ex. 20:5-6).

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Second, God shares the responsibilities of a synergistic generational relationship among the generations. We’ve already discussed the requirement for the younger to honor the older, and today's Bible reading spells out the responsibilities of the older to the younger. Each generation is accountable to the other, and thus, each generation holistically serves the other. It's a beautiful plan.

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I wish I understood this when I was 16, but I do now. And now that I'm a little older than 16, I recognize the blessings I receive from the younger generations. No matter which side of the life span you are on, recognize that you are equipped to bless others on the other side. If you are part of an older generation, your time, wisdom, and patience may be a blessing to someone younger. If you are part of a younger generation, your energy, optimism, and companionship may be a blessing to someone older. And every generation should love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind (Matt 22:37), and help each other to do the same. With God, we're all more wonderful together than apart.

Blessed are you, O God, Creator of the universe; for You established Your perfect law so that we may live together in love. Thank you for Your wisdom in creating us to holistically live with one another in peace and harmony, generation with generation. Show me, Lord, how I can use my gifts to bless those of other generations. It pleases me to love You with all my heart, soul, and mind, and then, to reflect Your love on others. In Jesus' holy name, Amen.