Be Thou an Example

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In 1 Timothy 4:12-1612Let 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. 13Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. 14Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. 15Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. 16Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. (1 Timothy 4:12‑16) we read, “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. Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee.” Here is Paul writing to a young man named Timothy. He said, “Let no man despise thy youth.” I was very much struck in reading in Leviticus 27, that God gives us the value of a man at different ages. From the ages of 5-20, He valued him at 20 shekels; from the ages of 20-60, He valued a man at 50 shekels; from 60 and up, He valued him at 15 shekels. As we get older, we are not worth quite as much. You young people are the ones, if the Lord leaves you here, who are going to have the responsibility of going on in the truth of God. It is true that when the priests retired from fulltime service at 50, they were to keep the charge of the Lord. They were like the ones that held the reins. But the reins do not do the running. It’s the young people that do the running. Dear young people, I want to encourage you just as Paul encouraged Timothy. He wrote to him, “Let no man despise thy youth.” Don’t say, “Well, because I am a young person, there is nothing for me.” In the evaluation in Leviticus 27, if you are past 20, you are worth over three times as much as the one that is over 60. What a valuable place is yours! What a responsibility, what a privilege is yours! When I have traveled about from assembly to assembly, I have noticed that the greatest blessing I have seen in assemblies is young people that want to go on for the Lord Jesus. The old people are blessed by them. In every meeting where the young people are going on for the Lord, the old people are rejoicing because we want to see you blessed and happy. Here Timothy is written to and Timothy is encouraged. Paul said, “Don’t let anyone tell you it’s no use because you are young. There is something for you to do. There is a place for you to fill.” And I want to encourage you. I want to see dear young people who have a heart for Christ, who seek to go on for Him. There may be times when we get discouraged. There may be times when we seem to feel that we are pretty much alone, but the Lord values that devotedness. Timothy was living in a time when he saw all Asia turn away from Paul. Paul said, “All they which are in Asia be turned away from me” (2 Tim. 1:1515This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes. (2 Timothy 1:15)). But Paul writes and says, “Timothy, don’t you give up just because there is a breakdown. You go on, you be an example ‘in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.’” If the enemy cannot lead you out of the assembly, he can perhaps lead you to a careless walk inside, and, in that way, instead of being an example, you will be a hindrance. So we find that Timothy is exhorted to go on and be an example. He encourages him, too, about the gift that is in him. There is many a young person who has a gift. Often as I look at young people, I see that they really are young people of ability. I know the devil makes a special target of those who have that kind of ability. Did not the king of Syria ask for all the goodliest in the court of Ahab (1 Kings 20:33Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives also and thy children, even the goodliest, are mine. (1 Kings 20:3))? Did not king Nebuchadnezzar ask for the choicest in Babylon to bring up in the wisdom of the Chaldeans, and is not the world the same today (Dan. 1:3-43And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes; 4Children in whom was no blemish, but well favored, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. (Daniel 1:3‑4))? It’s looking for the best of our young people. It’s looking for you to join the ranks in making this world a place of greater progression and more advancement, when it is only ripening for judgment. But, dear young people, the Lord wants you. So I just close with those words, “Continue thou.” “Continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.” May the Lord help you through the snares and pitfalls of youth. May He help you and encourage you to live for Him. At the end of your journey, you will look back and you will thank Him for His preserving grace. No credit to ourselves, but you will thank Him. When you see in that day of manifestation how He valued any little bit of devotedness to Him, you and I will wonder, “Why did we not live more for Him?” He did everything for us. “Continue thou.”
G. H. Hayhoe (adapted from an address)