Our hope

From time immemorial, the hope of every generation has always been in the youth of that age. No right-thinking society would ever ignore the duty and importance of investing in their youth. Every parent desires that their children develop surely and soundly for their time.

Youthfulness is characterized by exuberance; it is a time of blossoming. Sometimes it is apt to strain in flamboyant spunk, with words and deed punctuated with brashness, innocence, gullibility and derring-do. Youths are known to demonstrate their individuality in seemingly rebellious, even zealous attacks on established norms and limits. Unbridled creativity and questioning often pushes the envelope, the then establishment against or off the wall to inject their “new” signatures designating their times. Our youth should with temerity, validate and claim as their own, and for themselves, the truths we share.

Our hope is in our children; the well-being of tomorrow’s church rests with the youth of today. We will pass the baton and it will be up to the youth of today to then care and attend to body of the church. We need our children to be appreciative of examination and testing. There is no room for novices.

King David in his youth was known to be of ruddy complexion. His brothers complained of a cheeky inquisitiveness. Elihu, a young man rebuked Job and his friends that ‘Great men are not always wise and that aged men not always understanding judgment”.

Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. (1Ti 4:12)


Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2Ti 2:15)


The apostle Paul advised Timothy to ‘let no man despise your youth’. It seemed to me that the elder Paul would provide in his second letter the necessary dove-tail to ‘study to show thyself approved’. From a historical perspective, we often forget that Paul’s instruction to ‘study’ then was actually quite an onerous assignment. We overlook the reality that for Timothy, the written texts and the scriptures were not complete and/or readily available.

In our time, a well-watered young tree, planted by a river, though not in the season for fruit, will show luxuriant foliage. A silent, demure, submissive demeanor does not necessarily forebode well-being; it could well camouflage a careless disinterest whilst flowing with the stream.

After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. (Luk 2:46)

The Lord Jesus Himself, at twelve years of age, was found, sitting amidst the teachers, hearing and asking questions, in the temple. We solicit becoming more and more like Him; perhaps this would be a good place to start. King Solomon’s advice would also be timely.

Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; (Ecc 12:1)


God bless.



/ckh