Hello ,
When I was a kid I disliked being told that I was too young to participate in an activity that was better suited for older children. "Someday when you're older," was a statement that I hated to hear. I always seemed like the older kids got to do all the fun things! I didn't like that, and I didn't like the idea that kids weren't taken all that seriously when it came to "grow-up" ideas. I had a few of my own, and getting adults to really listen with
any kind of importance attached to what I was saying was a real chore.
Now, to the adult's defense, I was a kid who was full of ideas, and many of those ideas were child-like in their scope.
In today's scripture, Paul is speaking to Timothy. The people of their day weren't much different when it comes to human nature. Timothy was younger than many who were in his charge, and it would seem that they were struggling with understanding his position of authority. What's a young guy to do? Paul has an answer that is so clear that we can't miss it. It cuts through all the age barriers and hits right at the heart of the
issue.
Be an example!
Paul doesn't skirt the idea that people sometimes don't give credit where it is due, he simply says, "move around that obstacle." Show people
that your authority is real by the way you talk, and the way you conduct yourself; by your faith, and by your love towards their needs.
What a great lesson for us as well...no matter what our age.
Do you want to show people that your professed Christianity is real? Don't tell them, show them! Nothing gets other people's attention for God's kingdom like showing them that Christians really are different.
Have a great day and God bless!
