Disclaimer: I in no way am speaking on behalf of John Mayer. These thoughts, opinions and interpretations are mine and mine alone!-justin
If you have not heard "Waiting on the World to Change", please listen to the song before reaading!
The song/video can be found here: http://johnmayer.com/index.cfm
The lyrics can be found here: http://www.moron.nl/lyrics.php?id=83928&artist=John%20Mayer
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Many people know that I connect with John Mayer’s music. His music has always to me, been an honest and open communication that resonates with my personal life and our generation!
His newest single: “Waiting on the World to Change” is another song that truly strikes a chord with the way that I feel many times in my life! This song is easily and overtly political. I respect Mr. Mayer’s political stance, and agree with many of his political positions, however, in this specific Blog, I want to take a more general and personal approach to this song. You see connection for me between the song and my personal life does not confine itself to just the political arena!
The song (in my own opinion) is about how our generation (Gen. X; those in their mid 20’s to early 30’s), suffers from a loss of respect. We are adults! However, the world ignores us because of our age and (in their eyes) inexperience. Our American world truly does belong to the baby boomers.
However, contrary to most of the older generation’s understanding of us, we are not worthless in this world. Yes, we do have ideas and opinions, but often times those don’t matter. I think that Mr. Mayer has hit the nail on the head when he concludes his song with the lyrics:
“One day our generation is gonna rule the population,
So we keep on waiting on the world to change.”
In my life, not only in the ministry, but I’ve found, dealing with ay institution, my own personal ideas and opinions are not valued and most of the time not even given an ear or consideration! Yet, it is my generation that sees that the world is changing. Change does not scare us; in fact many of us embrace it. It is true that we are a nostalgic group who remembers our past, but we are willing to embrace the changing world, and more importantly, ADAPT to fit it. One observation about our generation is that we want to play a part in the world. We want to make the world a better place because we can see the sufferings and suppression of those in places outside of the U.S.! We think globally, we atypically, and we think outside of the box!
Many call the outspoken people of our generation liberals because we don’t buy in to the status quo of our society! I argue that we are being misjudged and mislabeled. We just have different ideas, concerns, and perspectives from our parents. We try to understand the world not only through our own interaction with it, but also through the eyes and stories of others. Because of what drives us, and because of our sensitivity to other people in different circumstances, we are the ones coming up with, what others call, wild and crazy ideas! However, we are pushed aside, held back, and silenced because ideas seem to crazy to work. Unfortunately, it is the “craziness” of our ideas that makes our ideas more effective than some of the current policies and programs.
Working in churched, I have seen many of my ideas scoffed at and completely overlooked. Many times, when sharing my atypical approaches to ministry, my words fall on deaf ears. Yet, in settings where people with extraordinary atypical approaches to ministry and to life are given a chance, wonderful and amazing things happen. People’s lives are EFFECTED! Think of what kind of world we would have if everyone listened to this huge generation a little bit more! The possibilities are endless!
However, the sad truth is that we have yet to inherit the world. Yes we are legally considered adults, but to our parents and grandparents we are still just wild-eyed kids.
To them, we don’t take responsibility seriously, when the truth is that while we are still light-hearted and adventurous, we take our roles in this world as seriously as you will let us! We shouldn’t have to wait to inherit the earth, because I would like to have a say in the world I inherit. Again, John Mayer’s words will probably always ring true. We will have to continue to wait on the world to change. We’re waiting on the world to change!
