By Ben Gudmanz
“The word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born, I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.’ ‘Ah, Sovereign Lord,’ I said, ‘I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.’ But the Lord said to me, ‘Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ You must go to everyone I sent you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,’ declares the Lord. Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, ‘Now, I have put my words in your mouth.”
Jeremiah 1:4-9 NIV
Jeremiah was in his early twenties when God called him, and as someone around that age now, I can understand his hesitation and concerns. I can understand what he says to the Lord, and how he is worried that people will not listen to him. And these worries are so prevalent in our Christian youth culture today.
We worry that we cannot preach the Gospel, that people will not listen to us.
That those who are older, have more experience, have known God longer, and know the Word better than us, that they must share the Good News, and we must wait until we reach their levels.
This is not true though. We are all called to spread the Gospel. No matter what age or maturity level.
And if we have the Holy Spirit within us, we will be able to. God here says to Jeremiah that He will tell us what to say and we must just be obedient and say it. He says that we must not be afraid to go and spread the Word, for He is with us and will rescue us. There are three major aspects to this verse:
1. The Safety and Protection of God
The promise of God gives me hope. It makes me feel safe and comfortable. For I know that no matter what happens when I share the Gospel, it will be God’s words, and no matter the reactions I receive, I will be safe and protected by God. That God will do the work, and I will be but the vessel. And that the people I share the Word with will not “shoot the messenger”, whatever form that may take. That I will be safe, and I will be pleasing God and doing His will.
2. Our knowledge of the Word
Many of us do not know the Bible word for word. We strive to learn more about it, we read it every day. But we do not know everything, we have not studied it in a more theological sense. This can often be a personal barrier that stops us from sharing the word of God. We must not let this be the case.
It is okay to not know everything.
It is okay to say that you do not know the answer to something.
But we need to respond to that and seek out the answers. We need to say that we do not know but will find out. We can invite the other party to come with us and learn with us. Or we can offer a time in future to continue the conversation once you have answers. We can pray about it and see what the Lord says. We can read the Bible and see what it has to say. We can consult those around us who are more knowledgeable.
And to do this we need to be humble. We need to know that we do not know everything. But we need to be hungry to learn, we need to want to find out. And we need to be willing to do the work to find out.
3. Planting the Seed
We also need to know that the people we speak to will recognise the Word. We can plant the seeds and spread the Gospel just as well as anyone else. We are called to do so, the same as all those who believe. There will be those who are not willing to listen to us because of our age and status, but we are called to tell them, nonetheless. We are only called to spread the Word, to plant the seeds, God will do the rest. He will cultivate the seed. What does it change if the seed is planted by a child, a teenager, a young adult, or an adult? It does not change the message. It does not change the work that God will do. It may change the reception of the seed, but that is something that God can work on. It is better to be the one who plants the seed to a harsh reception than for no one to plant the seed.
It can be scary to approach people about God, both strangers and friends alike. Especially in this secular world where it is frowned upon and the reception to Christianity is not friendly.
I am studying in a very liberal arts field, and I am surrounded by a “woke” culture. It is extremely hard to spread the Word of God in this context, and there are many who are outright hostile towards Christianity. However, the people around me are open-minded enough to listen. They will hear me out and listen to me tell my story and the story of Jesus. They may have contempt towards the Message, but they will listen. This is a testimony and encouragement to talk to those around you. People are more willing to listen than you may think. You need to stop saying “no” for people and let them say it themselves. You may find a few more yeses than you expect. This is especially the case in youth cultures where “woke” culture is prevalent and it may seem harder than ever to reach the non-believer. But the truth is that a core part of “woke” culture is a seeking of identity, and we can show them that identity in Christ will be the most fulfilling, far more than the approval of the World. So, be encouraged, and share the Word, knowing that it is God who is speaking through you, and who will do all the work of cultivating the seeds that you plant!