The Young and Unemployed
October 18, 2010
I haven’t done any research into official statistics or caught a story on the news, but personal experience and the economic climate of the United States in general can support what I have been wrestling with this evening.
My generation, consisting mostly of people somewhere in their 20s, is increasingly becoming a generation of people who have experienced a job layoff in their young careers. I personally experienced this in 2008, being laid off from my very first post-college job on my one-year anniversary with the company. In the past year, I have seen at least three close friends experience the same fate with. What I have been wrestling with is this: How should the body of Christ, specifically leaders in the church, come alongside those in their 20s who have experienced a layoff?
A plethora of cliche’s are available to throw at the young and unemployed. “Good thing it happened while you’re young.” “There will be plenty of other opportunities for you.” “Yep, it’s a tough economy these days.” “Ever thought about going back to school?” Even the spiritual go-to, “God will provide something else”, is at one’s disposal.
For a twenty-something, none of these answers are particularly satisfying, though they may carry some truth. All offer the potential for some temporary comfort, which they did for me, but none generates a response than a “Yeah, you’re right” – lazy shoulder shrug combo.
If I had been more familiar with the story at the time, I would have done well to turn to 1 Kings 17. The Cliffnotes version of the story goes that God sends Elijah to camp by a river which eventually dries up. I suggest reading it for yourself, along with 1 Kings 18, but three key points can be taken from this story for any recently unemployed person:
1. Your job layoff does not mean that you have been disobedient. Sometimes following Jesus leads us to a river that eventually dries up.
2. Although there is a tendency to to worry about how we will pay bills, provide for our families, and continue to pursue our goals, it’s important to remember that God is our provider, not a job.
3. Just as the dried up river helped prepare Elijah for something bigger (hello, calling down fire from heaven), God wants to use your unemployment to prepare you for something greater. Maybe a more fulfilling job or a whole different career path, but something greater awaits if we seek the Lord’s direction during our time of waiting.
What are some other lessons or advice that we can give to the young and employed in our congregations? How can we come alongside and lead them through this difficult time in their early adulthood?
