Making A Difference
“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.” - 1 Timothy 4:12
AN EXAMPLE
If you are young, these are extremely important days for you. The flowers of tomorrow are in the seeds of today. Your entire future will be transformed because of decisions you make today to seek God with a devoted heart.
I know of several young people who lived out being an example in “…speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity.” They chose to live 100 percent for God, and God powerfully showed His glory through them.
Chad and Heidi, were recently married in Florida. They have a most unusual story to tell. In the United States, physical involvement before marriage is rampant, but Chad and Heidi wanted to be pure before the Lord while courting. They decided this meant for them that they wouldn’t even kiss until they were married.
Somehow a large newspaper found out about their unique relationship and the editor decided to run a story. TV news learned about it from the article and they sent a film crew down to document what was going on.
The crew spent two weeks with this beautiful couple and their families. They were deeply impressed with the joy in Chad and Heidi’s relationship and by their depth of character. The film crew had just traveled from a town in Alaska where seventy percent of the teenagers had sexually transmitted diseases. What a contrast!
When Chad and Heidi’s story aired on TV, it was one of the most popular shows ever broadcast on that station. A professor at the state university saw it and now shows his classes the documentary each semester. He says that many of the students watch it with tears in their eyes as they see what they could have had. There is always eruption of cheers when Chad and Heidi kiss for the first time at their wedding!
Does this sound strange to you? That’s understandable, But God often leads young people on unique paths to shed His light to their generation and to show the extreme blessing of following Him.
THE CAMBRIDGE 7 AND BILL AND TERRY
Almost a century ago, Hudson Taylor visited England to give a set of talks about the desperate needs in China. A group of seven world-class athletes responded and left prestigious Cambridge University in England to become missionaries to China. They shocked the world by their decision, but the “Cambridge 7” left their mark for eternity by their work in China.
How about Bill and Terry? Can you affect your parents like they did?
When they met, Terry’s family had been broken through divorce. They wanted their relationship to be used by God to somehow heal their families. Bill resolved to keep God in the center of their courtship and to avoid becoming self-absorbed.
During their entire courtship, they loved their parents, and brothers and sisters. Teri’s dad was deeply moved by what he saw in their lives and he gave his heart to Christ. His difficult life was wholly transformed—all because of the love of his daughter and his new son-in-law.
MORE POWER FROM GOD THROUGH YOUTH…FROM A HAYSTACK
In Wales, many decades ago, a group of young people met for prayer for their nation. It began to rain in the field where they gathered. There was no shelter, but they still wanted to continue praying. They climbed into a haystack in the field to get out of the rain and prayed there for hours.
From this prayer meeting and what followed, a huge wave of God’s power swept over their nation. Thousands of people came to know God—all because some young people decided to get earnest.
CHARIOTS OF FIRE
Did you ever see the movie Chariots of Fire? It’s a true story about a young athlete from Scotland named Eric Liddell. He was from Scotland and ran sprints in the 1920’s for his country.
His race in the Olympics was the 100 meter dash. His final race in the prestigious games came on a Sunday, but his particular conviction was that God did not want him to compete on that day. Because of this, he dropped out of the race. His entire country became upset because he was the favored runner, but he stood fast.
A teammate ran the race and took the gold. Eric was called a fool to lose his opportunity. However, a couple days later he was given the surprising opportunity to run the 400 meter race. Experts said there was no way he could win.
He gave it a try. He took the gold and stunned the world and gave the glory to the Lord.
Eric Liddell refused to compromise. Athletes have come and gone for the last hundred years, yet he is remembered around the world because he didn’t live just for his athletic performance. He took a stand for God, and God mightily glorified Himself through his life.
AND YOU?
What will become of you?
Dwight Moody was a young man who decided to give up his lucrative career as a salesman to serve Christ as an evangelist. He was used by God to bring millions of people to Christ in America and in England in the late 1800’s.
Dwight was deeply inspired when he heard an old preacher say, “The world has yet to see what God can do through a person wholly devoted to Him.” This fired him up to live life differently. He wanted to be that person. Follow in good footsteps!
"It is by his deeds that young man (or woman) distinguishes himself (herself), if his (her) conduct is pure and upright." - Proverbs 20:11
"May you be blessed of the Lord, Maker of heaven and earth." - Psalms 115:15