This week, we are talking about the tension that can exist between generations. Yesterday, we saw a member of the older generation, a man named Paul, write to a member of the younger generation, a man named Timothy. And in the first part of 1 Timothy 4:12, Paul commanded Timothy to let no one look down on his youthfulness. In other words, Paul is commanding Timothy, and those of the younger generation throughout history, to not give the older generation a reason to despise and look down on you because of your age.
Today, we will see Paul, after telling Timothy what not to do; after commanding Timothy not to give the older generation a reason to despise and look down on him because of his youth, then tells Timothy what he needs to do as a member of the younger generation as he engages those of the older generation in the second half of verse 12:
but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.
Paul commands Timothy to show yourself an example of those who believe. This little phrase show yourself and example, in the language that this letter was originally written in, literally means to be a model or an example of someone of something. What Timothy was to be an example of; what Timothy was to model, was of those who believe. In other words, Paul is commanding Timothy to model a devotion to Christ based on his confident trust in the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel. Timothy was to respond to those who despised, disrespected, and devalued him because he was young by revealing and reflecting Christ to them.
And it is here that we see Paul provide for us a timeless principle that enables the younger generation to navigate through the tension and frustration that you will experience as you transition to a new stage of life. And that timeless principle is this: Live your life so that those who look down on your youth have to look up to Christ in you. Paul here is commanding Timothy to live his day to day life in a way that responds to those who look down on his youth to have to look up to Christ that is being revealed and reflected through his life.
And in the same way today, as the younger generation that is transitioning through the tension of moving from adolescence to adulthood, you are to engage that tension and that frustration in a way that reveals and reflects Christ to those who may despise, disrespect, and devalue you simply because you are young.
Now a natural question that arises here is “well Dave that sounds great, but what does that practically look like in my day to day life? What does a life that responds to those who look down on my youth to have to look up to Christ look like?” Fortunately for us, Paul provides us five different aspects of our lives that God desires to use in order that we live our day to day lives in a way that causes others to look up to Christ in us.
First, Paul commands us to model a devotion to Christ and a confident trust in Christ in our speech. In other words, what we say should reveal Christ in us. Instead of engaging in conversations that give ammunition or wood to fuel their feelings of disrespect that one may have for the younger generation, Paul is calling for conversations that reveal and reflect the message and teachings of Jesus and how he would respond when He was despised or disrespected.
So younger generation, here is a question to consider: Do your conversations reveal and reflect the message and teachings of Jesus when you are disrespected? How are you responding verbally when you are looked down upon simply because you are young?
Second, Paul commands us to model a devotion to Christ and a confident trust in Christ in our conduct. In other words, what we do in terms of our way of living life, or our behavior, should reveal Christ in us. Instead of engaging in activities or conduct that give ammunition or wood to fuel their feelings of disrespect that one may have for the younger generation, Paul is calling for a way of life and conduct that reveals and reflects the message and teachings of Jesus and how he would respond when He was despised or disrespected.
So younger generation, here is a question to consider: Does your conduct reveal and reflect the message and teachings of Jesus when you are disrespected? How are you responding with your actions when you are looked down upon simply because you are young?
Third, Paul commands us to model a devotion to Christ and a confident trust in Christ through love. In other words, there should be the evidence of an other-centered warm regard and interest in another that reveals the love of Christ in us. Instead of displaying emotions of anger, hate, or bitterness that give ammunition or wood to fuel their feelings of disrespect that one may have for the younger generation, Paul is calling for a life that reflects the love of Christ and how Christ would respond when He was despised or disrespected.
So younger generation, here is a question to consider: Does you reflect the love of Christ when you are disrespected? How are you responding with your emotions when you are looked down upon simply because you are young?
Fourth, Paul commands us to model a devotion to Christ and a confident trust in Christ through our faith. In other words, there should be the evidence of a confident trust in the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel that reveals Christ in us. Paul here is calling for a life that places it confident trust in Christ when we experience disrespect and the feeling of being devalued by those who are of the older generation.
So younger generation, here is a question to consider: Do you reflect a confident trust in Christ when you are disrespected? How are you responding when it comes to where you are placing your trust in when you are looked down upon simply because you are young?
And fifth, Paul commands us to model a devotion to Christ and a confident trust in Christ through our purity. In other words, what others around us see in the quality of our moral character should reveal Christ in us. Instead of reflecting a character that has been corrupted by selfishness and rebellion and that gives ammunition or wood to fuel their feelings of disrespect that one may have for the younger generation, Paul is calling for a level of moral character that reveals and reflects the message and teachings of Jesus and how He would respond when He was despised or disrespected.
So younger generation, here is a question to consider: Does your character reveal and reflect the message and teachings of Jesus when you are disrespected? How does your character impact how you respond when you are looked down upon simply because you are young?
You see, students, young adults, those of us in the younger generation, while there are some things in life that we have no control over, all of these are areas in our lives where we have total control, don’t we? We have total control over the content of our conversations. We have total control over our conduct. We have total control over whether or not we reflect the love of Christ to others. We have total control when it comes to our confident trust in Christ. We have total control when it comes to our character.
And when we engage that tension and that frustration that comes from those who may despise, disrespect, and devalue us simply because you are young in a way that reveals and reflects Christ, they are forced to look past us and to Christ in us.
So, younger generation, are you living your lives in a way that those who look down on your youth have to look up to Christ in you?
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