Hey you, yes you
1 Timothy Chapter 4 Verse 12
The whole of this letter in the bible is a letter to Timothy from Paul. He is giving him loads of advice. This chapters theme is what it looks like to be a good servant of Jesus. Verse 12 jumped out at me:
1 Timothy 4:12
New International Version (NIV)
12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.
I don’t have clue how old Timothy was to be honest, but in Paul’s eyes he was young. We can often exclude ourselves or be looked over because we are either young in age or in faith. This verse challenges that. Lets be encouraged. It’s not about heroes of the faith or amazingly big and experienced people!
All we have to do is set an example!
Whats really amazing about this verse is that it says ‘Set an example for the believers’.
Hang on a minute surely he has got that wrong hasn’t he? For the believers. He must have meant non-believers. No, I believe he has got this bang on. You see the chapter started with a warning that some of them may get deceived. It’s so easy in this life to get distracted and deceived. To lose focus from what really matters.
Here Paul reminds Timothy what its all about leading be example:
- Word – What we say and how we say it.
- Conduct – How we live our lives.
- Love – What we should do with our lives.
- Spirit – The person that should lead our lives.
- Faith – The power to live our lives.
- Purity – What God ants for our lives.
So it doesn’t matter how young you are or how long you have been a Christian, you can set the world on fire by living a life that’s an example to those around you, not just those that don’t believe, but also those that do and are stuck in their ways.
Hey you, yes you can make a difference.
