Our Youth, What a Gift!
“Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in
conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” 1 Timothy 4:12 King James Version (KJV)
When I surround myself with people, I feel inspired and want to inspire others. I really love working with young people to encourage them to be the best they can be. When I discovered how much I love young people, I got involved with our youth group at church. This group of students has made my life so much richer. They have taught me to remember to have joy in life even when the odds are against you. They have shown me that loving everyone even when they are not like you is more of a benefit to yourself than to others. When you feel down and out, hanging with those that you love is good medicine.
Most of all they have taught me how to let go and let God. When a young person finds their passion in Christ and you get to witness them having honest authentic worship, it is a beautiful thing. I see them witnessing to their peers, bringing them to bible study and pouring into their friends’ lives for the cause of Christ. They don’t seem to be worried about what others will think of them. I see leaders that will carry the next generation into an awakening of who Christ is. We tend to focus on all the negativity that is going on around us. If you turn on the radio or television, you could be discouraged by how the world portrays our youth of today. I admit there is a lot going on that I would never have dreamed of yet isn’t it like that for every generation? My mom’s generation thought that the 1960s-1980s were the worst times ever but as a child and young teen, I thought how cool it was. I think that with social media we just know what is happening more now than we did then. When I was growing up, I could keep a secret to myself or just a small circle of trusted friends. Now with a click of a button the whole world knows your story; good, bad or ugly it is out there for everyone to see and comment on.
I remember as a teen there were those in my youth group who were truly on fire for the Lord and others who were just coming because it was the thing to do or somewhere to go. And in my brother’s youth group there were some great youth rallies held and many wonderful preachers and teachers came out of that. We can’t discount the youth because there were some great kingdom builders in the bible that were in their teens like David, Daniel, Mary (Jesus Mother) and Joseph.
I personally have witnessed a movement among our youth in the last few years. They are hungry for the truth of God’s word. They are not concerned with religion but with a relationship with Christ. They are smart and inquisitive and will not just take what you say for truth. They will research and find truth for themselves. They can see through someone that is not who they claim to be. If you want to connect with a young person, then treat them the way you want to be treated and tell them the truth. Don’t look down on them because they have not had the same experiences as you. Instead listen to them, encourage them, and most of all be real with them. They can handle the facts, but they can’t handle the false. So always tell the truth in love and always let them know that Christ is your everything.
In an uncertain world young people need true Christians pouring into them. Who can you bless with the wisdom God has given you? Whose life can you pour into so that they can have the courage to stand for Christ and make a positive impact for the kingdom?
