Yesterday I wrote about younger generations coddled and in search of a challenge.

I wonder why previous generations have worked so hard to take such swaddled care of these younger generations?  Of course there are countless answers, because there are a lot of people with multiple reasons.  But may I suggest one important one?

The hardest challenge any individual can face is themselves – taming their impulses to greed, envy, sloth, gluttony, lust….  The less we have to struggle with the necessities of life – food, shelter, warmth –  the more we should be able to focus on overcoming those base impulses.  That sounds like an incredible challenge to me.  And it is one that given the plenty in which we reside, we have an unprecedented opportunity to take up.

Today is the day on the calendar when Christians around the world observe (“celebrate” just seems like the wrong word) the unjust execution of history’s only truly innocent man.  Why did this man die?

He died in order to enable us to complete that hardest challenge.  There is a cost associated with those base impulses.  Today that cost is paid.

With Sunday comes the power to see the challenge to the finish line.  Between now and then, let’s resolve to see the challenge through.