While watching the movie David on television a few days ago, I was reminded of a friend who went through seminary with me during the mid sixties. The scenes that triggered my memory were, first, the one in which the teenage David was chosen by God to be king over Israel, and the second in which David volunteered to fight Goliath. In both scenes, people questioned his ability as a youth.
The scenes reminded me that when I graduated from seminary in Jamaica, all of my fellow graduates—except one—were called immediately by churches to be their pastors. The lone exception was a 21-year-old man who could not get hired by a congregation because church leaders felt that he was too young and inexperienced.
After a year of waiting to be called, he left Jamaica and went to the United States and completed further studies, after which he was hired by his denomination to go abroad as a missionary to Bermuda and later British Columbia.
While still young, he became head of the missionary board of his denomination and supervised the ministries of scores of missionaries around the world. He was so highly respected around the world that he was sought for advice by the heads of several countries, particularly South Africa during and after Apartheid. He is now the senior pastor of a thriving congregation in a major city in the USA.
Jamaica’s loss was the world’s gain.
The apostle Paul gave another young pastor, Timothy, some sound advice regarding his youth, and it is advice that applies to all believers, no matter their age and experience:
Do not give anyone a chance to despise you because you are young; but in your words and in your conduct, in love, in loyalty and in purity, show yourself an example of what believing people should be.
(I Timothy 4:12, William Barclay’s Translation)
Whether we are young and inexperienced or older and more mature, we are to be examples to the church and the world in:
• word (speech)
• conduct (right living; righteous)
• love (self-sacrificial service to others, seeking only their good)
• loyalty (faithfulness to Christ, no matter the cost)
• purity (complete allegiance to the standards of Jesus Christ,
showing honor, honesty, self-control, and chastity, far above the standards of the world)
Too often we have seen Christian leaders whose lives and ministries have been derailed or sidetracked because they failed in their word, conduct, love, loyalty, or purity.
So Paul’s admonition to Timothy is not only for those young in age or faith, but even more so to those who are positioned in higher levels of leadership and responsibilities, for if they stumble and fall, it is usually revealed in a very public manner, and the consequences are great and affect countless others.
So to all of us—young and old, neophyte and veteran—let us see Paul’s admonition to Timothy in a slightly different way:
Do not give anyone a chance to despise you—period! But in your words and in your conduct, in love, in loyalty and in purity, show yourself an example of what believing people should be.
******
Supposedly, Jeremiah was about 20 years old when the Lord called him to be a prophet. Jeremiah immediately stated he was too young and God rebuked him for using his age as an excuse. What’s interesting is that according to Temple protocol, men were not used in ministry positions until they were thirty years old.
In a way, Jeremiah did have a logical excuse, except before God who called him and determined he was ready to be a prophet.
Thus, like Jeremiah and Timothy, none of us have an excuse not to live a godly life. He called us and equipped us to be His sons, members of a royal priesthood and a holy nation.
As usual, quite profound.
Thanks, cous!
Amen, Larry! Thanks for your insight.
This reminds me of Joseph. Here was a man who was essentially shut out for thirteen years, yet maintained a strong walk with God. The circumstances were often not so good, and betrayal seemed to follow him. He was treated with supreme indifference. He went unrecognized. But even in such trying conditions he remained gifted, he operated in his gifting, and he was a gift to all who gave him an opportunity. The lesson here, in part, is for us to remain in faith at all times. Our circumstances change nothing about the love and providence of the Lord.
As you stated, the day came for the young man in your article. And the day came for Joseph. Whether it is a year, thirteen years, or even twenty-five in the case of Isaac, our faith is proved by remaining solid toward God regardless of circumstances or lack of recognition. Those who wait upon the Lord the right way renew their strength, and at some point, will fly. Thanks for the post.
Thanks, RJ. Joseph is one of my favorite characters for that reason.