Every generation holds a spiritual value different from the generation before. And we often arrogantly judge the previous generation for their value, because we see the temptation of it and the hypocrisy of it, but can be blind to our own.

1/

A Boomer visited our GenX college ministry class. He said, 'Always look like a preacher. Even if you are changing your oil and need to run to the store for more oil, shower, put on a suit and tie to buy the oil.'

We thought he was nuts. Actually, I still think it is nuts.

2/

But he was a Boomer. He valued personal holiness.

So his temptation was to 'look holy.'

While we judged him and then wildly swung the pendulum, the other way, we valued spiritual hunger more than we valued personal holiness.

3/

I think the GenX temptation then is to 'look hungry.'

GenX preaching is full of 'hunger over holiness' sorts of stories.

Millennials took it further and elevated the value of authenticity. We hear it over and over again, how a church is authentic.

4/

So the temptation isn't to 'look authentic' I think it is more insidious than that. The temptation is 'curated authenticity.'

Selective, good looking, beautiful life authenticity.

Curated brokenness and mess.

5/

And I think we tend to keep our temptation and then adopt the next generation's so our GenX and Millennial sisters and brothers: looking hungry, curating authenticity.

I wonder what the next Gen will value over these and what their unique temptation will be.

6/6