Being Relevant

Have you ever shown up for dinner at an acquaintance’s home, only to realize that you were out of place? The invitation said, “Come Casual,” but something was obviously lost in translation. Their definition of “casual” meant a spiffy sport coat and loafers. Your definition? A T-shirt with a smiley face on the front, shorts, and sandals. Talk about feeling out of place!

Sometimes our whole world can feel this way to us, especially when it comes to dealing with young people. It’s not just the latest smartphone that can make us feel “less than smart.” The styles in clothing, the trends in music, the ever-changing pop culture can make anyone older than 21 feel, well… irrelevant.

We older people may not know who the most popular Instagram influencers are. We may not even know how to find their videos if we wanted to. But does that mean that we are not “relevant?” In this context, to be “relevant” is to be “in the know”—in tune and maybe even in harmony with the latest social trends.

Ironically, this pattern of thinking is not new. Just ask your grandparents. It’s likely that they thought that their parents and grandparents were “out of touch” and not tuned in to the latest styles, fashions, music, and trends as well. Every generation feels that the older generations don’t understand their generation and are not “relevant”—not worth hearing from or following.

But if being “relevant” requires being in tune with the latest cultural cues, how can anyone remain relevant for more than a week or so? Our society is changing at a breakneck pace. What is popular today will be passé tomorrow.

Our world is so divided, with so many subcultures based on political ideology, religious beliefs, age, ethnic background, and ideas about sexuality that it raises a question: Just who is relevant anyway? Who is truly in touch with reality? Whose thoughts and words carry weight that never changes? Who really knows what’s important and what is meaningful? Who should your son or daughter or their friends look to as being important, knowledgeable, “with it,” and relevant?

The One Who Stays Relevant

In Job 38, God settled the matter:

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: “Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” (vv. 1–7).

God reminded Job that He is not only the One who knows about everything that exists or has ever existed, but also the One who created all of it. If we’re asking who to look to for true relevance, the answer is clear: God, our Father and Creator.

But what about us? Can we reflect the relevance of God in our own lives, so that our children have an alternative to the empty icons of confusion and chaos in modern culture? The answer is yes—but how?

As adults, we know what it was like to be young. We know the excitement and uncertainty of facing the world as an adult. We know the anxious frustration of wanting to meet the right young man or young woman but not knowing who that person might be. We know the challenge of trying to decide which direction to go with our education or training. We may not have had exactly the same experiences—but we’ve had the same kinds of experiences.

Similarly, Christ understands us—He is relevant and important to us, partly because He has been where we are. In the book of Hebrews, we read,

Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil…. Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted (Hebrews 2:14, 17–18).

And we read, “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps” (1 Peter 2:21).

Just as Christ is relevant to us, having shared our experience, we as parents are relevant, important, and meaningful to our children, as we do our best to live a life dedicated to God.

What kind of life are sports heroes, music stars, and social media influencers living? And how many different versions of each of them exist? They promote a public version of themselves to cultivate a following, to create a fan base. But what are they really like? And how relevant is what they have to say about life and living compared to the plan being carried out by the Creator of the universe?

As Christians, we are driven by a true reality that is timeless. Our daily battle is to live this way, to run this race, to live on a stage that is more real than any A.I.-enhanced, media-manipulated, virtual reality that is presented by our cultural icons. We live so that we might echo the words that Paul wrote to Timothy, his protégé: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Timothy 4:7–8).

Our life, our efforts, and our commitment to God’s plan for the world place us in a far more relevant place than any of the so-called “influencers” today.

Be a Real Influencer

You and I are relevant. Our words, opinions, and ideas matter. And our influence can help our children be more successful. But we need to match and surpass the impact of the influence of our culture. And, in fact, we’re commanded to make this our business.

In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses exhorted the Israelites, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up” (Deuteronomy 6:5–7).

Instead of trying to mimic the younger generation—its mannerisms, its clothing styles, its jargon—in order to be socially relevant, we need to redefine relevance. In the cultural fog in which our children live, our voice is more relevant than ever. As we teach and exemplify the mind of God, we point them to more than a show—we point them to an eternal reality.