Day 6 — Don’t Let Anyone Look Down on You

“Let no one despise your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.”

— 1 Timothy 4:12 (BSB)

Have you ever been told, “You’re too young”? Too young to understand. Too young to help. Too young to make a difference.

Timothy probably heard that a lot. He was a young pastor, leading a church where many of the people were older than him. Some of them might have thought, What does this young guy know?

So Paul wrote to encourage him: “Let no one despise your youth.” To despise means to look down on. Paul was saying, Don’t let anyone think you’re not important because you’re young.

The Bible is full of young people God used in big ways:

• Samuel heard God’s voice as a boy.
• David was a teenager when he defeated Goliath.
• Josiah became king of Israel when he was just eight years old (2 Kings 22:1), and he led the whole nation back to God.
• A young servant girl in the house of Naaman, a powerful army commander, told him about God’s prophet, and Naaman was healed (2 Kings 5).
• Mary was probably a teenager when she became the mother of Jesus.
• A boy gave his lunch to Jesus, and it fed five thousand people.

God doesn’t wait until people are grown up to use them.

But notice how Paul tells Timothy to show people he’s not too young. Not by arguing, or by bragging, or by demanding respect. Instead: “set an example.” Show them through how you live. Paul lists five areas:

• In speech: how you talk.
• In conduct: how you act.
• In love: how you treat people.
• In faith: how you trust God.
• In purity: keeping your heart and life clean.

You might think only grown-ups can be examples. But you can be an example right now, to your friends, your siblings and even adults! When grown-ups see a kid who is kind, honest and faithful to God, it inspires them too.

You’re not the church of tomorrow. You’re part of the church today.

Think about it: Which of Paul’s five areas (speech, conduct, love, faith, purity) is easiest for you? Which is hardest?

Try this: Choose one of the five areas, and focus on being an example in it all day today.

Dear God, thank You that I’m not too young to follow You and make a difference. Help me set an example in my speech, my actions, my love, my faith and my purity. Use me right now, just as I am. In Jesus’ name, Amen.