By Nathan Gudmanz
Have you ever felt like your opinion wasn’t as sophisticated or as “real” as someone who’s been in the church for longer, and you therefore kept it quiet? With the obvious exception of more life experience, this is a big misconception. God puts each of us on our own paths, without taking age into account. Your experiences are different to those around you and from those older than you. In the ever-changing world, “the youth” face new and difficult challenges that other generations have not personally experienced. This actually results in younger people having fresh views about the Kingdom of the Lord.
1. Enjoy your Youth
Ecclesiastes 11:9-10 (NLT) says, “Young people, enjoy your youth. Be happy while you are still young. Do what you want to do and follow your heart’s desire. But remember that God is going to judge you for whatever you do. Don’t let anything worry you or cause you pain. You aren’t going to be young very long.” How wonderful it is to be young! We need to enjoy it while it lasts (living it up) while living a positive life, as we will have to give an account to God for our actions. I think this verse is an encouragement to follow the path God has always had laid out for us. I know from personal experience that choosing to follow God in my daily life is so much more freeing than conforming to social norms that put us in risky situations. Having rules and morals that come from the Bible is a great grounding to have, especially with all the impurity around us and the accompanying temptations.
2. Show the Way
1 Timothy 4:12 (NLT) challenges us: “Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.” As the youth, we need not be discouraged by our inexperience, and can instead be an example of God’s goodness in all aspects of our life. This verse was first taught to me in “Sunday School” a few years ago and it resonated with me. It speaks to the truth that my opinion is as important as that of my elders, and I can follow in their footsteps and tell my peers about who Jesus is. I think that, in some cases, my peers and I have less pressure, and less to lose by reaching outside of our comfort zones, because we are expected to be “green” and learning. If we start devouring the word and taking godly risks early, imagine how much confidence we could have and all the good we could bring throughout the rest of our lives!
3. Embrace the Wonder
Luke 18:16 (NIV): “But Jesus called the children to him and said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” I believe that Jesus is speaking to all of us, saying that we should come to Him with a child-like wonder and without letting the world weigh on us. After all, his “yoke is easy” and his “burden is light”, and He cares about our weariness (Matt. 11:28-30, NIV). It is important to not lose this wonder for the unknown and for growth. One way that we can “keep the wonder” is to be around other youth in the church, as they would understand, and be able to help you with, your daily challenges. Joining a youth group or connect / home group that meets every week can be an important, regular encouragement to each of us. We don’t have to do this on our own. We also need not be afraid to stand up in church and give a word, or pray for someone. By praying with fellow believers, we will grow in confidence to reach out to those around us.
4. Trust in God’s Big Picture
I believe that the challenges and struggles we all face are going to be our testimonies of God’s goodness. Through it all, His plan remains good. The most amazing thing about God’s plan is that when we look back – even with limited experience – every piece fits perfectly together and makes sense. At the time, we may naturally have thought that our pain would never end and did not understand why things were happening, but in fact God was leading us to where we needed to be. Amazingly, the next chapter starts immediately after the previous one ends. Our growth in Christ, and into becoming who we truly are, never stops. The speedbumps along the way allow us to relate to others and to show them the great things God has done. Don’t think because you are young your testimony isn’t important. We all have a calling and being young should allow us to explore ours and understand it, so that when we are ready, we can take our next steps in becoming who God wants us to be.