The same lie told to the same person out of the same fear, treating the wife with the same disrespect, making her feel expendable. It is the next generation that is not learning from the mistakes of the previous generation.
“When the men of that place asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,” because he was afraid to say, “She is my wife.” He thought, “The men of this place might kill me on account of Rebekah, because she is beautiful.” 8 When Isaac had been there a long time, Abimelek king of the Philistines looked down from a window and saw Isaac caressing his wife Rebekah. 9 So Abimelek summoned Isaac and said, “She is really your wife! Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac answered him, “Because I thought I might lose my life on account of her.” 10 Then Abimelek said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the men might well have slept with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.” 11 So Abimelek gave orders to all the people: “Anyone who harms this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.” (Genesis 26 v 7-11)
When will the next generation be better than the one before?
- When we stop allowing fear to dictate the moment, and we start to have faith for tomorrow.
- When we focus more on being different in the crises of life.
- When we stop relying on what we have inherited and realise we need a conviction experience that forged that inheritance, for ourselves.
- When we stop using people as collateral damage for our gains.
- When we start living better than those outside of the faith.
- When we stop creating false versions of ourselves.
- Perhaps the greatest response to the questions is this:-
- When we stop believing we are better and therefore exempt from the mistakes of the previous generation.
Missions Paul 