The older generation needs needs the youths

SAMSON was a man of great strength but in his later years, due to his disobedience of God's word and instructions, his enemies used his wife to cut off his hair, which was a source of his strength.

After prevailing against him, they plucked out his eyes and imprisoned him. When God called Samson, he had anointed him to rule over Israel and protect them from the Philistines. But he failed to do this because he was blinded by his lust for Philistine women.

When his eyes were removed, he was able to destroy more Philistines than he did when he had eyes.

Then Samson told a young man who had been leading him around by the hand, "Let me touch and feel the pillars on which this building rests, and I'll support myself against them." (Judges 16:26, ISV)

Bishop Tudor Bismark drew me to this scripture when he taught how the older generation has strength, but no longer have sight. Samson, through the help of the young man, was able to destroy more Philistines than he had done all his life. Bishop Bismark went into detail explaining what the pillars symbolised.

Although Samson had strength, he did not have sight, which would have allowed him to be correctly positioned to kill his enemies. The young man did not even have the strength to accomplish the feat performed by Samson but without him, Samson could not destroy the enemies of his people.

The young generation in Zimbabwe has sight, but may not have the strength to perform the task needed to turn around the nation. But even though the older generation has the authority or strength (statutory instruments or authority), it needs the foresight of the youth to plan and correctly position the nation for this turnaround.

The Bible carries many stories of the young and the old not working well together resulting in failure in those nations. The story of Rehoboam is an example. He received advice from the elders who had governed together with his father Solomon and he ignored it because he felt more comfortable with advice from the his peers which caused him to lose influence over the Israel that his father left him.

If the younger generation is to say they do not need the elders and the elders are to say they don't need the young men, it's like Samson saying I will find the pillars by myself and the young man saying I have the strength to bring down the pillars. Samson died leaving Israel enjoying the peace he had established when he sacrificed his life for his nation. We also, like Israel, want to celebrate the victories of the older generation when they are gone just like Samson.

A certain man of God prophesied and said unless the older generation brings into power the young, there will be unrest in the world and the world economies will not recover from these conflicts. He did not say the young would rule alone, but they would govern together. He will cause the fathers and their children to be friendly again. "If not, I will come in a hurry and I will curse the land." (Malachi 4:6, Easy English translation)

God said he would curse the land if the older generation and the younger generation do not learn to be friendly towards each other. That is to say, if the young and older generations come into agreement and learn to work together, God will command a blessing over that nation.

Humphrey Mtandwa is an anointed minister of the gospel and teacher of the Word based in South Africa. He has written several books including The Enoch Generation, Truthfulness and Theophany. He blogs at mtandwa.blogspot.com and can be contacted via e-mail or WhatsApp on +27 610286350.