“A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’” “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said.

When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy.” Luke 18:18-23

“OK, BOOMER” — “OK boomer” is a derisive repudiation, a bit mocking in tone, like a verbal eye roll — and it’s directed specifically by a young person toward someone older.

Back in 1963, when the term “baby-boomer” was first published in a Salt Lake Tribune article, it carried just one definition: a person born during the tail end or in the decade after World War II, when the United States saw a tremendous spike in births. Frequently shortened to “boomer,” over the years the phrase has been imbued with layers of meaning and implication. Much like “millennial,” “boomer” doesn’t merely indicate a person born in a given time or place, it’s a blanket term referencing the predominant trends, values and concerns of an entire generation.

Thus begins an article I recently read written by Nicole Spector on November 6, 2019. I am intrigued by this phenomenon and trend where a phrase gets traction and legs and becomes part of the vernacular. I have been using it myself in the last two weeks, and I am a boomer. Of course, I am not using the comeback in the manner that millennials are using it. And I am not sure everyone understands where it came from and what it represents. In my efforts to try to come up with topics for devotions that not only are interesting to read, but might challenge us in our daily conversations, I am going to take the month of December to focus on this phrase “OK, BOOMER”, and perhaps find some talking points that might make us all stop and pause – before shouting back “You Millennials, get off my lawn.”

The phrase “Boomer” has become a catchall phrase for someone older who is close-minded and resistant to change. You don’t necessarily have to have been born into the “baby boomer” generation to be lumped into this category – you just have to be seen as representing the characteristics of someone born to that generation – like being resistant to change. Let’s talk about the resistance to change.

Why do people resist change? Well, here are five possible reasons:

1. People fear “difference”-especially when there’s no precedent

For the most part, we are creatures of habit. We love routine and sameness. If you are looking to do something new, and it hasn’t been done before, there will be some who likely can’t see the end from the beginning. Every group needs a visionary, but merely stating your vision is not enough. If you hope to effect change, there needs to be a sense of transparency, meaning you have to show people the how’s, what’s and where’s, not just tell. Clear and open communication is key. Wherever possible, keep some things the same. Stay focused on the important reasons change is being sought. And avoid a “follow-the-leader-because-I-say-so” attitude.

The rich young ruler in the parable above left being very sad – of course we do not know whether he did what Jesus said or not, the text does not provide that information. But from what Jesus says next, we get the impression that he left Jesus without “hearing Jesus’ message or changing his ways” because he feared change. In his case, the change would have meant a dramatically different way of living – because he was very wealthy. But this is perhaps the point Jesus is making – our attachments and possessions begin to possess us – more than we possess them. Those possessions can be monetary, they can be physical, and they can be models of thinking, behaving and deciding. Fear can be a positive possession – like I am afraid of bears and will run if I see one. But fear can also be a negative possession – and one that is hard to do away with. This is where knowledge, communication and transparency come into play. The more we remain open in our lives, listening to new possibilities, asking questions, and remaining “…in the conversation” rather than withdrawing and putting our fingers in our ears, the easier it will be to face our fears – including our fear of change.

Pastor Dave

“With regard to spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans you were often led astray by speechless idols, however you were led. So I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are different ministries, but the same Lord. And there are different results, but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each person the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the benefit of all. For one person is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, and another the message of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another performance of miracles, to another prophecy, and to another discernment of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. It is one and the same Spirit, distributing as he decides to each person, who produces all these things.” 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

“Johnny on the Spot”

Oxford English Dictionary, which dates its genesis in print to the same year (though it must be somewhat older in the spoken language). The writer explains where it came from: “The grammatical genesis of ‘Johnny on the spot’ cannot be traced very clearly, but the phrase certainly originated from the longer and less expressive one, ‘Johnny is always on the spot when wanted.’ … The expression is to some extent a variation or rather a continuation of that other phrase, ‘He gets there.’” Johnny here must be a general name for any young male and doesn’t refer to a real person.

We like to believe and trust that the Holy Spirit is always active and always working in our lives. As Lutherans, we also teach that the Spirit comes and goes wherever and whenever the spirit wants to work. We read these words from the Gospel of St. John: “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8)

Martin Luther, in his explanation to the third article of the Apostle’s Creed on the working of the Holy Spirit writes this:

“…..the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian church, He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers. On the Last Day, He will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ. This is most certainly true.”

While the Holy Spirit may seem ethereal, it has power beyond our understanding and will do work we just cannot imagine in our lives and the life of the church. And we live trusting that it will be “Johnny on the Spot” at just the right time.

Pastor Dave