Whether it’s in the armed forces, the clergy, law enforcement or Congress, we all have a moral duty to serve. While many are bickering and vocalizing their distrust in government, it is time for millennials to step up and serve their country in a higher capacity.
College graduates are living in their parents’ homes because they’re unable to find work in their career fields. Blatant and baseless cries of racism and hatred have placed our nation’s race relations in a quandary. As tense as these issues have caused us to become, they provide an opportunity for millennials to look past the prejudices of past eras and provide a compass to lead future generations to a path of unity and purpose.
Recent events in Ferguson, Mo., and Staten Island, N.Y., have caused turmoil, and past hurts and sufferings have resurfaced. Arrests, demonstrations, riots and clashes with law enforcement and a grieving community have captured the headlines and dominated our news cycles.
The call for justice synced with useless violence tells me our country still needs healing. Many can quote the words of the slain civil rights leader, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., but only a few are willing to embrace his lifestyle.
While emotions and tensions are high, it would serve our world some good to see more millennials take an active role in their communities. This could be done within the local church or civic organizations or running for public office. Social and cultural issues lie at our doorsteps, but dealing with them still requires civility and courage. The challenges and pressing issues we face must be addressed by millennials.
When it comes to raising the minimum wage, millennials must be aware of the economic incentives and challenges surrounding the issue, especially when it affects employment and businesses. With health care, millennials must decide if the federal government is responsible enough to oversee everyone becoming insured, or if the free market is a more sensible solution.
Communities in America are looking for real leadership. This leadership collaborates with a desire to bring healing to a chaotic and disturbed society. It can come only with those willing to follow the principles of faith — love and kindness — and not just talk about it.
This faith can come from millennials. It takes faith to implement a set of values in someone that will not only enable that person to have access to a quality education, but instill life-long principles. It takes faith for a millennial to take a younger man or woman under one’s wing, and to mentor and remind that person that a dream can become reality. It takes faith for today’s millennials to realize that promoting a quality education can prevent young people from dropping out of school and depending on big government for the rest of their lives.
I call on millennials to be the voice of reason our nation so desperately needs. While those who went before us have carried the torch of liberty for so long, we must embrace the reality they will not always be with us. If our nation is to be rescued from greed and selfishness, it will take a millennial generation to understand hard work and perseverance, not entitlement, is the antidote for our nation’s pains.
This is our call to action: a plea for a renaissance of faith, responsibility and accountability. Faith and morality are the cornerstone of America’s heritage. For that heritage to be preserved, millennials must be engaged and not complacent.
Demetrius Minor, a metro Atlanta preacher and blogger, is the author of the forthcoming book, “Preservation and Purpose.”
