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Jun 13, 2025 06:00am

Be Real: Why the Next Generation Needs Authentic Faith

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What did you say?

It was like they were an alien. I couldn’t understand anything. A few words here and there, but they were mixed in with this… this… nonsense!

“Rizz,” “bussin,” “bet,” “skibidi,” “sus,” and “cap.” Know what I’m talking about? In America—because I have no idea if the kiddos talk this way in other countries—Gen Z and Gen Alpha have this whole other language.

I mean, I get it. We had slang words too. And the “cringy” part was when our parents tried to use them to be cool with us. To be relevant.

I have to admit, I still feel that way. I think it’s silly and, if I’m being honest, a little embarrassing when an adult tries to “fit in” with the kids by using these words. If they do so in a joking way, I get it. It’s silly. But to do so to be relevant among them… is that really even working? Does that really make you look cool or smart or help you “slay” the conversation?

Paul said, “The wisdom of the world is foolishness with God.”

Let’s take a look.

Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise.
19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”;
20 and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”
21 So then, no more boasting about human leaders! All things are yours,
22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours,
23 and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.

Remember the context of this passage. Paul is speaking to the believers in Corinth who were divided because of who they “followed,” or who had baptized them, and they were under their teaching. Whether it was Apollos or Paul or Cephas (Peter), Paul said it didn’t matter. It wasn’t a battle of the wits. If they were a believer, they were of Christ and under His teaching. He would give them wisdom. Look at how The Message puts it:

Don’t fool yourself. Don’t think that you can be wise merely by being relevant. Be God’s fool—that’s the path to true wisdom. What the world calls smart, God calls stupid. It’s written in Scripture:
He exposes the hype of the hipsters.
The Master sees through the smoke screens of the know-it-alls.
I don’t want to hear any of you bragging about yourself or anyone else. Everything is already yours as a gift—Paul, Apollos, Peter, the world, life, death, the present, the future—all of it is yours, and you are privileged to be in union with Christ, who is in union with God.

Did you see that? “Don’t think that you can be wise merely by being relevant.”

We are all captured by quick quips, reels, and shorts these days. We pull out a quick quote and say, “Ooh, that’s good.” But is it true? Is it based on the Word of God? And does it point us back to the Lord or simply elevate the person that said it? They may have a speech that “tickles the ears,” as we say, but does it draw you closer to the Lord?

Do you want to know what Gen Z and Gen Alpha really want and need?

Authenticity.

They don’t want you to try to fit in with them—they just want you to be real. To be open. To be honest. Take off the mask of Christian religion and bear the truth of a relationship with Jesus. Teach them how to follow Christ, not just dress up for church. Dig into Scripture with them, search it together, and be honest that you don’t know or understand it all. Show them the Word of God is an entire library that points to one central theme: knowing God and making Him known.

Let’s quit fussing and debating over things that don’t really matter and point them to Christ!

Because “you are privileged to be in union with Christ, who is in union with God.”

It’s time to join Christ in His mission. Are you ready? Do you truly want to know your purpose from God—why you’re here and still breathing? Go to follow.lifeword.org. Learn about Jesus, what it means to be His disciple, and how to show others the same. Now offered in Spanish at follow.lifeword.org/spanish.