Begin by watching this video. (It has subtitles so no sound is needed)

This video, at first, frustrated me. It frustrated me until I looked into it to see what the video was really made for: "This video was a parody that opened a talk at the Church Leaders Conference encouraging people to see past the stereotypes and recognizing the unique potential that millennials have!"

It's great that there are churches dedicated to talking about this. I mean, yeah, some kids are spoiled and feel entitled... but those characteristics are not bound by an age. Those characteristics infect people of all ages.

According to Titus 2, those who are older are called to "live a life that reflects wholesome teaching... Urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure... to be kind.... Encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness, and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us."

I'd like to see more adults (more implying that some already exist, but not many) have compassion on all of us (and the upcoming) "entitled millennials" and help us grow rather than putting the younger generation in this box that everyone just shakes their head at and keeps walking. TEACH the younger generation how to be independent, TEACH them how to work hard, TEACH them how to make change, TEACH them God's love instead of worldly pleasure, racism, or hatred. Kids are going to keep "getting worse" in this society if we continue to let them figure things out on their own or if we continue to allow our society to be what it is.

Society is a culture made by all of us, passed down through the generations. Beauty standards, moral standards (or lack thereof), and relational standards are all passed down and encouraged by each generation. Kids don't just grow up and become something they've never seen before; we are a people who become who we think we need to be in order to survive (emotionally, physically, spiritually, mentally). Meaning this: millennials didn't invent self-absorption, entitlement, dependence, rudeness, manner-less behavior. It was either seen or heard, followed by positive reinforcement (whether that be laughter or attention or just plain allowance).

I recognize that parenting is hard. I recognize that loving people is hard. I recognize that it seems that the disrespect that seems to be ever-growing will not realistically go away over night just because adults decide to act. But you can make a difference.

Keep in mind, also, that morality is not the same as Gospel truth. Morality changes with each generation (i.e. slaves were acceptable once, women having jobs wasn't acceptable once, showing your ankles wasn't acceptable once, mistreating Native Amerians, Asian, Latino, or any other minority was acceptable once), while the Gospel is always unchanging. Jesus died for the generation who believed in slavery and separation, just as He died for the moral "older obedient brother in the Prodigal's Son parable (Luke 15: 11-32)" generation, just as He died for the "younger wilder brother in the Prodigal's Son parable" generation of selfies and entitlement.

So, I guess I just wish that (some of) the older generations would stop comparing and start loving and walking with the younger generation. You can either make fun or make an impact, you know? Spread compassion or spread judgment.