Those Leaving

One size does not fit all, and conversions come in many ways, at different times in our lives. That's a couple of the thoughts that came to my mind when I read "3 Common Traits of Youth Who Don't Leave the Church."

I have more personal information on some youth who did leave a church - but returned to it. I've written about that as part of my testimony. It's been a generational thing in our family - from my parents, through mine and into the next generations. Hearing, responding (perhaps to peer pressure), then finding that life in general is not supportive to church attendance contains many factors.  Only a couple of those are the subject of the above article, though. It's the "college years", where many churches lose members who had been faithful participants as youth.

The Preacher tells us:

Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; (Ecclesiastes 12:1 KJV)

I’ve seen no statistics on how many of those who left do return. It certainly isn’t 100%.  Many do, however, when they realize what the Preacher says in later verses:

In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened, And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low; Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:  (Ecclesiastes 12:3-5 KJV)

We lose the blooms of youth, the flourishing growth of new ideas, new hopes, when we realize that much stays the same. There have been and there will be wars and rumors of wars, recessions and depressions, attempts which bring success and those with failures. We find what many have found before – wise words from experienced men:

And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs. The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth. (Ecclesiastes 12:9-10 KJV)

As we age we find there are immutable absolute truths and that it behooves us to seek them, understand them and apply them, as men have done before:

And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. (Ecclesiastes 12:12-13 KJV)

The Preacher knew the result of this duty of man:

For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. (Ecclesiastes 12:14 KJV)

As did Paul, so many generations later:

But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons. (Colossians 3:25 KJV)

I pray youths understand this lesson before they walk away. If they do leave, may they remember, and return.