:Let no one despise or think less of you because of your youth, but be an example (pattern) for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.
1 Timothy 4:12 AMP
The Yorubas say “Agba o kógbón, ómode oko asiwere“. This means that “wisdom does not come with age“.
There is a strength found in youths that gives them an edge in life.
The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the grey head.
Proverbs 20:29
Examining the life of David, there is something very remarkable about him. He never allowed anyone despise his youth! He was confident in the Lord at all times, he always did the needful and always set an example. He was a standard!
Examining the event which led to the defeat of the Philistine through the killing of their champion, Goliath, there were series of events that took place there, in which David was looked down on because he was young.
1 Samuel 17:28-30 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner.
The first person to look down on David here was his own brother, Eliab. He tried to shoo him from the battlefield, telling him that his place was not there on the battlefield but in the bush with the sheep. See, as a youth, some people will try to discourage you, they would tell you that you are too young to be in a particular place, too young to have your business, too young to do this and that. Don’t mind them, prove them wrong. Set the standard, set the pace!
1 Samuel 17:33 And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.
The second person to look down on him was King Saul. The king felt David was not capable of fighting and winning Goliath just because he was young. However, he didn’t take into consideration the fact that even the so-called champion, Goliath was a man of war from his YOUTH!
1 Samuel 17:42 (NIV) He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him.
Even the uncircumcised Philistine looked down on David because he was young.
However, the Bible teaches that we should not let anyone look down on us because we are young. We should rather be an example for them with our lifestyle, we should be the example to be followed. As a young person, your life can be the standard for believers. It is a different thing to be a standard for unbelievers and another to be the standard for believers. And you know, it is a bit easier to be a standard for unbelievers, but for believers, it is simply telling you to live like Jesus.
In your speech, talk like Jesus; in your conduct, be like Jesus; in love, love like Jesus; in faith, believe God like Jesus and finally in purity, live a Holy life like Jesus.
Yes, you can! You can be a standard for believers. Let no man despise thy youth!
Take a stand today to be a standard; to live like Jesus. this is who you have been called to be.
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