1 Timothy 4:12
Don't let anyone make fun of you, just because you are young. Set an example for other followers by what you say and do, as well as by your love, faith, and purity.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
More times than I can count, I’ve been the “young kid on the block.” I was barely 20 when I got my first teaching assignment. The older teachers, particularly those who had been my elementary school teachers, thought some of my ideas and teaching methods were wacky. More than one rolled her eyes at me and said, “That will never work!” And I’ve heard a version of that phrase many times through the years … “You’re young … you’ll learn. When you get to be my age, you will see. You’re just too young to understand.”
The truth is that age is just a number. There are many teenagers and young adults who understand far more than some octogenarians. There are many young Christians who have a closer, more vibrant relationship with the Holy Spirit than some who accepted Christ decades ago. There are countless young people who are far more mature and set a better example than many people three, four or five times their age!
The point is that you are never to young to start living for Jesus – and conducting yourself in a manner that honors your faith. Sure, we all make stupid mistakes along the way – say and do things that we shouldn’t – and sometimes this happens more frequently to young people who lack maturity and experience. But this is no excuse. And older, supposedly more “mature” adults can behave badly just as often. Some even say, “I’m old – I can say and do what I please.” This is stinkin’ thinkin’!!
Ask God to show you what to say and do in all situations – to be your Compass throughout the day. Ask Him to help you share love, faith and purity with others and to be a shining example of how His children should behave. When you do make a mistake in judgment, ask God to forgive you and help you to dust yourself off and get going again. Don’t use your age as a crutch – regardless of the number.
©2010 Debbie Robus
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