What did you do wrong?  Maybe something.  Maybe nothing.  People make their own choices, Michelle.  Ultimate responsibility lies with each individual regardless of their upbringing.  So blaming yourself is probably pointless.  Examine the past.  Confess to God whatever you might need to confess.  Make right anything you might need to make right.  Keep loving your kid … no matter what.

I’m sorry that, for my part, I might have made it sound like producing generous, caring young adults is always a done deal.  It just isn’t so.  But remember, the ball game isn’t over yet.  Perhaps God will yet bring home the positive things you taught.  He loves you kid even more than you do.

That said, I do think the 20-somethings today want to engage in personal ways with how they give away their money. My youngest brother (26) is actually getting his master’s degree right now with this as his thesis topic.

As for the philinthropic, action-oriented, giving nature- that’s a lot of grassroots effort. It’s like a hum or a buzz that’s been getting louder and louder over the past 10 years. And it’s contagious. And now it’s hip and trendy. And so it proliferates. I usually can’t stand what’s hip and trendy, but we’re not talking about baby tees or wwjd bracelets here. I’ll hang out on this bandwagon any day.

I also agree with Ron. It has more to do with the age (and economic status) than whatever external label has been placed on the generation. Or maybe kids just dig your rock star ways more?

This is not to say that the previous generation did not do any good or that today’s churches are not meeting the needs of the community. I also imagine that the next generation will clamor to the church buildings for in-depth Bible studies and prayer meetings–after being in a culture that hyper-focuses on serving the needy.

In my observation, people who have not are *generally* more generous than people who have… perhaps it’s because they understand need so much more and are therefore driven to give what they can—even when they really can’t—to help others in more need than they are.

I also agree with the, “Yes! We can change the world!” mindframe typical of the early 20s age—not just this particular generation of early 20s—and by the time these people reach their 30s or 40s, they’ve often lost that.

it’s not a good enough reason not to give.  everything has flaws, and just because some gimmick is involved, i’m not going to let that keep me from connecting my theology and my reality. i’m going to be authentic.

in the words of jars of clay, “i’m enough a cynic to believe.”

i don’t know if that applies to my generation … but i wouldn’t be surprised if it did.