ODJ: Age Is Just a Number

November 10, 2017 

READ: 1 Timothy 4:6-13 

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 (v.12).

Age shouldn’t stop anyone from making a big impact. It certainly didn’t stop ten year old Mikaila Ulmer. Instead of putting up a lemonade stand, Mikaila opened a lemonade business. Her company BeeSweet Lemonade started with her grandmother’s recipe and led to her pitching a business plan on a popular TV show. Mikaila was granted a huge investment and has also signed a contract to sell her lemonade in fifty-five shops belonging to a major supermarket chain.

Mikaila’s drive and dreams can point us back to Paul’s words to Timothy: “Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young” (1 Timothy 4:12).

Timothy may have had concerns about people treating him with contempt because of his age and inexperience. He was probably in his thirties—considerably younger than many people in the congregation. Also, after previous time spent under Paul’s leadership, people may have been concerned that Timothy wasn’t mature enough to lead them. Would people ignore his teaching? He couldn’t control what people thought of him, but he could control how he responded to their concerns.

Instead of trying to prove himself by flashing his credentials or being a forceful leader, as the Holy Spirit led him he could reveal his spiritual maturity in how he used his words, loved others, demonstrated his faith and lived a pure and blameless life (v.12). No one could discredit him as leader in the church if he was “a worthy servant of Christ Jesus” (v.6)—one who reflected His heart.

Regardless of our age, we can impact the world as Jesus leads and helps us. Let’s continually ask God to shape our lives with the gospel. Whether we’re seventeen or seventy, He can equip us to share it with others.

—Marvin Williams

365-day-plan: Acts 21:18-36

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Read Judges 2:10. What’s the danger of not passing the gospel on to the next generation? 
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How are you actively encouraging the next generation to live godly lives? Deeper wisdom can come with age, but why is it important for you to reach others for the cause of Christ whatever your age?