Let No One Despise Your Youth

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

Christ followers come in all ages. Sure, there are some “geezers” (I resemble that remark), but there are young Christ followers as well. The Bible is filled with young people, perhaps teenagers that accomplished great things for God.

Timothy falls into that category. He was a sincere youngster who earnestly desired to serve the Lord. There were, however, things is his life that diminished confidence in his service. Paul said he was tender and sickly (1st Timothy 5:23). He had an unfavorable upbringing for a minister of the Gospel. (Since Paul mentioned Timothy’s grandmother and mother but not his father, some believe he was raised in a mixed home. 2nd Timothy 1:5).

So Paul encouraged Timothy to live in such a way that he would be an example in word, conduct, love, spirit, faith, and purity—to be a model for others to follow. He was capable of that because Paul knew that God looked beyond his youthful timidity, his physical weakness, and saw in him a sincere heart.

Maybe you have thought of things that might disqualify you from serving the Lord effectively: your youth; a sinful past; little or no education; previous failures. Listen dear Christ follower; don’t allow these, or any other things, to restrict your service to the Lord. Your weakness my just be the thing God uses to demonstrate His power (2nd Corinthians 12:9)! Let God transform your life into a model of godliness.

Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. (1 Timothy 4:12)