SPEND YOUR YOUTH WISELY – DON’T WASTE IT!

 “Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.” (

I Tim. 4:12)

“Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come….” (Ecclesiastes 12:1)

“And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”  (Lk.2:52)

 [NOTE: Presently, there are four teenagers living within the confines of my house, none of which are of my loins, yet still loved as my own. Thus this message is near and dear to me!]

It is a terrible thing to waste one’s youth!  During these tender years, the vast majority will set their course for either heaven… or hell.  Each choice made and adopted habit positions a youth’s launch code for future success or tragedy.  Where are you pointed, young man, or young lady?  Or where are your children headed, right now?  Are they choosing Jesus’ unparallel glory, or the baubles of this world?  Remember, there is no “reset button” for one’s youth.  If wasted, there’s no going back, only vain regrets.  Same for our entire short lives on earth.  Carpe Diem!!! 

God knew how hard it would be to grow up holy in an unholy world.  He knew about peer pressure before it was invented!  In His infinite wisdom, He made sure that some power-packed, exciting stories of incredible young people’s faith and victories would be recorded in Holy Writ.  These stories would play out in a matrix of giants, world empires, and in the face of overwhelming adversity.  If these true stories cannot excite youth and stimulate their faith and good deeds, then they’re truly impervious to truth!  Joseph, David, Daniel, Timothy – name to inspire and fire up the imagination!  Actually, Jesus was also just out of the youth stage when he started his ministry, and although Luke 2:45 – 52 is a short passage, it contains much information about his youth.

Recently I reread Ezekiel 34:23-24 in my personal Bible reading:  “Then I will set over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he will feed them; himself and be their shepherd.  And I, the LORD, will be their God, and My servant David will be prince among them; I the LORD have spoken.”

Obviously, this prophecy must refer to Jesus.  What a great man David was and is, to have Jesus adopt his name as the fulfiller, the antitype. Even though only a shadow, nevertheless he did successfully represent and adequately portray the coming mighty and majestic Messiah.  Once more, let’s look at this “man after God’s own heart” youth. ( I Sam.13:14; 15:28; 16:7)

David learned so much as the youngest son.  He learned humility.  When Samuel came calling to anoint the next king, Jesse, David’s dad, didn’t even think to inform the baby of the family.  Nope, he was just out there tending sheep.  (Jesus learned humility coming from heaven to earth, putting on His “Adam suit” of an ordinary human being. Phil.2:6f) Humility always comes  before honor. 

   “You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.  Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time… ”( I Pet.5:5-6) 

This reminds me of Sir Lancelot, the greatest warrior/knight of the King Arthur’s famous Round Table.  He started as a squire, or stable boy, to his brother Gawain.  His true identity was kept secret while he shoveled horse manure and carried water for the real knights. Such humble beginnings ensure compassion and concern when one becomes successful.  Such a man should always be able to empathize with the little guy and not become an overbearing tyrant. So our hero David took care of dad’s sheep before tending to God’s flock, Israel .  Power without such sympathetic concern for those under our authority is truly tyranny! 

David also learned to work hard.  Here’s a reliable eyewitness account, (Jacob),  of the intense nature of shepherding work:

“These twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten the rams of your flocks. That which was torn of beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it myself.  You required it of my hand whether stolen by day or stolen by night. Thus I was: by day the heat consumed me (like a Konkomba country at 2:00 pm in the HOT season!) and the frost by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes…God has seen my affliction and the toils of my hands…” (Gen.31:38-40,42)

Also listen to David’s not idle boast to King Saul: “Your servant was tending his father’s sheep.  When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock, I went out after him and attacked him, and rescued it from his mouth; and when he rose up against me, I seized him by his beard and struck him and killed him.” (( Sam.17:34-35)  Sheep herding was a dangerous profession in David’s time!  He learned to deal with danger and put his life on the line for them.

Young people today need to learn to work, to cope with danger, to learn to trust God. “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” (I Sam.17:37)  Confident trust in the great Creator God was developed in David’s youth. 

Imagine today’s typical teenager all by himself standing up to a nearly 10 foot, muscular, armored up and skilled giant warrior, in mortal combat.  (And not a computer game with a reset button!) 

Hard work, endurance, commitment, responsibility, courage, confidence, and faith in God over all, these are things that one must develop well as a youth, like David.  Pampering youths, or indulging oneself at this stage in life is foolishness!  Childhood is prep time for adulthood, a time of training for warfare.  Instead of pampering youth, they should be expected to learn by doing, to be humble and not haughty, quiet and not loudmouthed, thoughtful watchers and listeners, not braggarty, trash talking, football spiking showoffs! Their abundant energy should be channeled into developing Christ’s onw perfect character traits through constant supervision and personal tutelage, then increasing responsibilities in the home and the work place.

I suggest we don’t feed anybody over 12 or 13 who won’t work hard!  That includes our children.  And no more 33” screen TVs, snazzy show cars, big rooms, computers, or such. Let them work, and work so hard they drop into their beds at night ready to sleep.  Let us expect them to do the most menial tasks, such as cleaning the toilets, garbage cans, and so forth.  Then reward and praise them for diligence, and never, never hold them back. Expect them to mature and grow and be able to do great things for God.  Never underestimate their awesome potential to kill giants.  Never consider them incapable to stepping up and overcoming all obstacles in their way.  By the way, this includes expecting our children to be able to marry as virgins, no matter how sexually immoral things have become today.  Lions and bears can still be overcome and killed by faithful youth!

Faith is the key.  David was not just a incredibly gifted, athlete or warrior.  He had more than that – close personal relationship with God.  And note that he was proficient in praise.  He was a lettered man, who could handle the pen (or quill) as the well as the sword.  He was a wordsmith.  And what wonderful words his Psalms were -  still read and loved my all godly people today, 2000 years later  David was truly an educated man, with knowledge AND wisdom.  Added to this was musical talent, for the glory of His great God and the edification of His people.  These skills were finely honed and perfected in youth.  Thus when Saul needed great music to calm his demonically harassed soul, it was David, of Top Ten hit fame that was called up for him. (I Sam.16:16-18)

Now compare these three passages: Luke 2:51-52, I Tim.4:12, and I Sam.16:18.  Now what kind of youth will be have in Christ’s church today?