It was my first “real” job – with an office, a desk, and a plaque proudly announcing my name. But before we go there, I should tell you that I’ve always worked. Even before I was old enough to count out the change, I pulled a little wagon around my neighborhood selling vegetables from my parents’ garden – believing that my neighbors were honest enough to pay me the correct amount. From the time I was big enough to pull the ripcord on the mower, I cut our neighbor’s grass. I’ve shined shoes, waited tables, tutored struggling students, and served as a clerk in a department store and a technician in a research lab. So, when I finally had a professional position, I was rather proud of myself. But then came the lady – the one who totally “burst my bubble” and deflated my “balloon”! When she walked into my office, she took one look at me and blurted out, “You’re just a kid!” I tried to director her attention to the business I was supposed to handle for her, but she kept repeating, over and over again, “You’re just a kid!” I don’t think that I was ever able to get down to the business she had come to me for as she continued to exclaim, “But, you’re just a kid!” Actually, I was thirty years old, married, and with a baby son. I had earned my master’s degree and was working on my doctorate. Plus, I had traveled essentially around the world, ministering in places like Japan, India, and Sri Lanka. But to her, I was just a kid, and I couldn’t change that in her eyes. However, the important thing in life is not how others perceive you, but how you view yourself and how God sees you.
We all know the story of David who went out to fight a giant. He had a hard time getting past everyone’s distain for his age. King Saul initially refused him a chance, saying that he was but a youth (I Samuel 17:33), and Goliath mocked him with the same objection (I Samuel 17:42). But David refused to be pigeonholed because of his lack of years because he knew who he was – a soldier in the army of the living God. (I Samuel 17:26, 17:36) Everyone else on the battlefield that day identified himself as a member of the army of Israel or one of the men of Saul; it was only the teen-age David who had a different image of himself – the same picture that God saw when he looked at him. And it was because he refused to be intimidated by what others thought of him that David became a hero when all the rest proved to be nothing more than cowards.
In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul encouraged his young disciple to have that same “David attitude,” Let no man despise your youth. (I Timothy 4:12) Then, he went on to give him some advice in to handle himself so that people would see him for who he was and who God saw him to be rather than for how old he was, but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Paul’s counsel was essentially that he pursue excellence in every significant aspect of life.
In word – Without a doubt, Paul was admonishing his protégé to be diligent ins studying, living by, and ministering the Word of God. (II Timothy 3:16-17) Yet, it is also certain that he was encouraging him to be cautious of the way he talked. We need to always speak respectfully to others and avoid using slang and rude language; rather, we should be articulate in the way we express ourselves, picking the topics we focus on, including politics and social betterment, not just sports. We should always be mindful to use proper grammar so that our schoolteachers wouldn’t cringe if they were listening in on our conversations.
In conversation – The word that the apostle used here speaks of your manner of life, conduct, behavior, and demeanor. Develop a healthy lifestyle, remembering that your body should be treated like it is the temple of God. (I Corinthians 6:19) Exercise regularly, get sufficient sleep each night, watch your diet, abstain from drugs, and avoid excesses by remembering to practice moderation in even good things.
In charity – Be generous in giving to God and to others. This means more than giving away your money. Remember that anything that is valuable to you is also valuable to share with others – things like your time, service, attention, and consideration.
In spirit – It is likely that Paul had a double meaning in mind when he spoke of spirit: Timothy’s human and the Holy Spirit. I’m sure that Paul was encouraging his spiritual son to live his life filled with energy – not lethargic and unconcerned. It’s important to be excited about life – including school, sports, family, friends, and entertainment. I’m also certain that the apostle was encouraging Timothy to excellence in his relationship with the Holy Spirit. (II Timothy 1:6) As a young person, you need to learn how to let the Holy Spirit make your life exciting through the cultivation of the fruit of the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Holy Spirit and in Spirit-anointed prayers, Spirit-directed actions, Spirit-led decisions, and Spirit-empowered words.
In faith – Again, it is almost certain that Paul had a dual impact in mind when he penned these words: Timothy’s public practice of his faith and his personal relationship of faith. Furthermore, it is likely that he was actually taking the topic a step beyond Timothy’s church involvement and his trusting God in daily life to an alternate translation of the word – faithfulness, speaking of Timothy’s diligence in all his responsibilities.
In purity – Chastity, sexual purity, and living a clean life are not limited to simply refraining from immoral actions but actually begin in having a clean heart that doesn’t even “go there” is thought any more than in action. (Matthew 5:28)
In fact, it is not only in purity that the outward expression is an indication of an inward reality. Every quality that the apostle has encouraged his disciple to pursue with excellence really begins in the heart before it can be manifest in the physical. The words that come from our mouths (Matthew 12:34, 15:18; Luke 6:45; Romans 10:9-10) and the influence of the Word of God upon our lives (Psalm 119:11), our conversation or lifestyle (Ephesians 4:18, I Peter 3:4), our charity (I Timothy 1:5, II Timothy 2:22), our spirit or zest for life (Romans 2:29) and the impartation of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 4:6), and our faith (II Timothy 2:22, Hebrews 10:22) all originate in our hearts – demonstrating the reason behind why David, even though everyone’s attention was focused on his youthfulness, could have a different picture of himself. He had learned to see himself through the same lens that God was viewing him.
But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. (I Samuel 16:7)
Allow me to close with an illustration from my own life that illustrates what can happen when a young man decides to let what is the inward reality of his heart be demonstrated in his outward life. When I went away to study at a secular university, one of the first things that I did was to find a church to attend, and, fortunately, a family in the church offered to give me a ride to the church each Sunday. The first week that I was to be picked up for church, I was standing at the curb when one of the guys from the dorm walked by and asked me where I was going. I replied with a very non-committal, “Out.” As soon as the fellow student walked away, I thought to myself, “And exactly whom do you think you are fooling? It’s ten o’clock on a Sunday morning, you’re wearing a suit and tie, and you’re carrying a Bible. Where else would you be headed other than church? Why try to hide it?” I was really embarrassed by my lack of boldness; so, I decided that I would not hide my faith and began to invite students form the campus to come with me to the services. Before long, there were more than would fit into my friend’s car, and we had to recruit more drivers to come by the campus every Sunday to pick us up. Shortly after that, the pastor decided that there were enough college guys coming every Sunday that there should be a special Sunday school class just for the students from the campus. Next, we started Bible study and prayer groups on campus that turned into a “movement” involving hundreds of students and eventually spread to at least twenty other campuses.
Don’t be intimidated or limited because of your youth; you can slay giants and change the world if you direct your youthful energy properly.
The Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. (Jeremiah 1:7)