0715 DON’T LET ANYONE LOOK DOWN ON YOU

JULY 15 = 1 TIMOTHY 4

I have long been intrigued by Paul’s brief exhortation to Timothy not to let anyone look down on him because he was young. How do you not let people do anything, I wonder? Because I know that in my own life, when I was young, people looked down on me. That’s because I was shorter than all of them, being a toddler, of course. How could I stop them? 

How could I? Really? How do I earn respect, when I am immature and live an inconsistent life? So I live with people ignoring me, and I recognize that I am still not effective in ministry as a young man. Maybe by the time I reach retirement age, I will have earned their respect and might measure up to my potential in the Lord.

And now I am 40 years old. Still a young man, by society’s standards. And I still hold back from being bold enough to speak with authority.

“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, 

And then Paul writes this letter, and he tells me to stop letting this happen. It is time to take spiritual authority and snatch some from the fire, bring the immature to full life in Christ, to challenge the established saints to continue in their spiritual growth. But the church of Christ is suffering because of my timidness. I am Timothy, and I am conflicted as a minister of the Gospel. How do I keep people from looking down on me because I am young? Paul gives this advice:

“but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 

My confident lifestyle earns respect. Perhaps this is related to the directions about overseers being above reproach, and of having a good reputation with outsiders. So the evangelist who has appointed and is training those elders needs to set the standard in every aspect of life; speech, conduct, love, faith and purity.

Speak in such a way that you earn respect for your maturity. Don’t ever let the devil get a foothold in the lives of the church members. Be bold. Be strong. Be disciplined in your speech, so that you can bring others to maturity with you.

Conduct yourself in such a way that people will emulate what they see in your young life. Remember, you are never off duty, never free to indulge yourself. You are a full-time follower of Christ. Only after you have committed to such a way of conducting yourself can you say with Paul, follow me as I follow Christ.

Love in such a way that no one can dismiss you as a phony, or a hypocrite. After all, love is the truest mark of maturity, for love bears all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. So go and love your neighbor as yourself. Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. And people will be drawn to copy what they see in you.

Let your faith never waver. In spite of earthly circumstances and temporal difficulties, remember why you have come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Pray as if you believed. Speak from an eternal perspective. Listen as Jesus would. And see everything through the eyes of faith, knowing that your labor is not in vain. Your faith will inspire all who come in contact with the undeniable truth, that you are and you reward those who diligently seek you.

Let your purity be evidence of your faith, as you keep your covenant with your eyes not to look upon someone with lust. Let your vocabulary, your music and sources of entertainment be a steady witness to any who would come against you, that they will not be able to find just cause to dismiss your faith, because they see the purity of your motives and your actions.

“Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.”

This is the end result of your personal disciplines: salvation, both for yourself and for your hearers. May we be heard loud and clear. Amen.