Can I talk to the young people for a minute? Adults, please pass this on to your children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and students. I want to tell you guys something that is of the utmost importance.
God does not have any grandchildren.
Now those of you who have grown up in the church are looking at this right now and thinking, "Well, duh, Emily. Of course not, we are all God's children. The Bible doesn't say anything about grandchildren." And you are absolutely correct.
What I mean is that you cannot inherit your family's faith. Just because your parents are Christians (or Muslim, Buddhist, or any other religion for that matter) and took you church every Sunday as you grew up does not make you a Christian. Just because you were raised to believe there is a God does not make you a Christian.
You are not born into a relationship, you are born into an institutionalized religion. You are fed Bible stories and Christian songs and Christmas plays from your toddler years, but that does not make you a Christian. Just because you were in every musical, went to every vacation Bible School, attended church every Sunday morning, and every Wednesday and Sunday night, does not make you a Christian. It makes you a religious statistic.
You are not a Christian just because your parents or grandparents are. You become a Christian through your faith and allegiance to the King of Heaven. You become a Christian by admitting your sins and committing your life to serving a man who gave His life up for you.
You know what else? This time in your life is the most flexible and free time you will ever have. This is the perfect time to be fully committed to serving God and answering His calling. This is the perfect time to move. It breaks my heart to see so many of my peers and my closest friends wasting the most influential time of their life because they don't care.
You need to care. You need to find that passion for something more than clothes, sports, grades, and dating. We are talking about finding a passion for the Kingdom of God. All that other stuff, it's okay, but it is not what your life revolves around.
For those of you who are Christians, I want to refer to you a verse that I'm sure you've heard many times in the church. 1 Timothy 4:12 says ,"Let no one despise your youth; instead, you should be an example to the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity." Let me explain what this verse is not saying. This verse is not saying, "Be stuck up and arrogant because you're young." It's not saying, "Live it up and party while you can because YOLO."
This verse is saying, "Don't let the adults opinions bring you down. Don't be discouraged by other's opinions. Keep found what you're doing for Christ's Kingdom." This verse says very specifically, "Be an example to believers," not the world, the church.
Be an example in speech. If you're a Christian, "no foul language is to come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, son that it gives grace to those who hear." (Ephesians 4:29) Those f bombs you like to drop? Yeah, stop it. Now. Those curse words you like to sprinkle into your language on Facebook and Twitter? Delete them. Not only is it rude and uncalled for, but the Bible specifically calls against it. Does that statement build up someone? No? Then don't say it. Does that, "That's what she said joke" make someone's statement crude and irrelevant to the conversation now? Yes? Then hold your tongue and keep your mouth shut. Do the words hoe, slut, or skank uplift that girl? Do the words stupid, whack, or nigga, or gangsta build up that boys self-identity? Then don't address them as such. Your words are meant to be encouraging and uplifting, not slanderous and degrading.
Be an example in conduct. "All bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander must be removed from you, along with malice. And be kind and compassionate to one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ" (Ephesians 4:31). In other words, behave yourself. The way you act in public directly reflects not only your family and how they raised you, but also your God for whom "We are now ambassadors" (2 Corinthians 5:20). So all that rowdiness and not very smart stunts you and your friends pull? Yeah, don't. You shouldn't be extremely loud either, as you can see. Be kind to others, because who wants to associate with a God whose followers are rude?
Be an example in love. I'm not going to quote the entirety of 1 Corinthians, but let me point out a few things. This is not talking about the kind of love you have towards your family, your friends, or even to your husband or wife. This is talking about spiritual love. Deep, meaningful love. Love is patient. If someone is in your way, be patient, maybe they're having a problem. Love is not boastful or conceited. If you did this big awesome thing and it's so cool and you're so proud of it, good for you. We're all happy for you, great job! But please, don't rub it in our faces every chance you get. Love keeps no records of wrongdoings. If someone hurts you, find it in your soul and by the help of God, forgive them, and forget about it. Put it in the past, it is irrelevant.
Be an example in faith. In the movie Amazing Grace, which chronicles the story of William Wilberforce and his drive to abolish slavery in England, one of the characters, William Pitt, states," We're too young to realize certain things are impossible. Which is why we will do them anyway." That is the faith we should have. We do not know if anything is possible, but we believe that God can do anything, so we jump at the chance to do things for God. Faith is about action. About moving. We are too young to worry about what the world thinks of our radical Christianity, we are young, and therefore have the audacity to move when God tells us to.
Be an example in purity. You guys, society, and sadly everyone in churches now, expect you to have sex before marriage. If you are in a relationship for longer than six months, it is expected that you have done it. You can't have a healthy relationship without having sex. This is a lie. We are supposed to be an example! Why aren't we stepping up to the challenge of standing for purity and a clean heart in this world that advocates sexual experimentation? This is not just a physical purity, this is about your heart. There is so much I could say about this, but I need another post to fully go into it.
Your time, OUR time, is now. It's not after college, it's right now. What are you being held back by that you cannot fully commit yourself to the work of God? If it's a person, sever those ties. If it's a job, quit it. God will provide for you being faithful. If it's your family, move out. God has called you to something bigger than what you're doing right now.
Please. Please, don't waste these years. You were made for so much more than this.
Burdened in Christ,
Emily E.
God does not have any grandchildren.
Now those of you who have grown up in the church are looking at this right now and thinking, "Well, duh, Emily. Of course not, we are all God's children. The Bible doesn't say anything about grandchildren." And you are absolutely correct.
What I mean is that you cannot inherit your family's faith. Just because your parents are Christians (or Muslim, Buddhist, or any other religion for that matter) and took you church every Sunday as you grew up does not make you a Christian. Just because you were raised to believe there is a God does not make you a Christian.
You are not born into a relationship, you are born into an institutionalized religion. You are fed Bible stories and Christian songs and Christmas plays from your toddler years, but that does not make you a Christian. Just because you were in every musical, went to every vacation Bible School, attended church every Sunday morning, and every Wednesday and Sunday night, does not make you a Christian. It makes you a religious statistic.
You are not a Christian just because your parents or grandparents are. You become a Christian through your faith and allegiance to the King of Heaven. You become a Christian by admitting your sins and committing your life to serving a man who gave His life up for you.
You know what else? This time in your life is the most flexible and free time you will ever have. This is the perfect time to be fully committed to serving God and answering His calling. This is the perfect time to move. It breaks my heart to see so many of my peers and my closest friends wasting the most influential time of their life because they don't care.
You need to care. You need to find that passion for something more than clothes, sports, grades, and dating. We are talking about finding a passion for the Kingdom of God. All that other stuff, it's okay, but it is not what your life revolves around.
For those of you who are Christians, I want to refer to you a verse that I'm sure you've heard many times in the church. 1 Timothy 4:12 says ,"Let no one despise your youth; instead, you should be an example to the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity." Let me explain what this verse is not saying. This verse is not saying, "Be stuck up and arrogant because you're young." It's not saying, "Live it up and party while you can because YOLO."
This verse is saying, "Don't let the adults opinions bring you down. Don't be discouraged by other's opinions. Keep found what you're doing for Christ's Kingdom." This verse says very specifically, "Be an example to believers," not the world, the church.
Be an example in speech. If you're a Christian, "no foul language is to come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, son that it gives grace to those who hear." (Ephesians 4:29) Those f bombs you like to drop? Yeah, stop it. Now. Those curse words you like to sprinkle into your language on Facebook and Twitter? Delete them. Not only is it rude and uncalled for, but the Bible specifically calls against it. Does that statement build up someone? No? Then don't say it. Does that, "That's what she said joke" make someone's statement crude and irrelevant to the conversation now? Yes? Then hold your tongue and keep your mouth shut. Do the words hoe, slut, or skank uplift that girl? Do the words stupid, whack, or nigga, or gangsta build up that boys self-identity? Then don't address them as such. Your words are meant to be encouraging and uplifting, not slanderous and degrading.
Be an example in conduct. "All bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander must be removed from you, along with malice. And be kind and compassionate to one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ" (Ephesians 4:31). In other words, behave yourself. The way you act in public directly reflects not only your family and how they raised you, but also your God for whom "We are now ambassadors" (2 Corinthians 5:20). So all that rowdiness and not very smart stunts you and your friends pull? Yeah, don't. You shouldn't be extremely loud either, as you can see. Be kind to others, because who wants to associate with a God whose followers are rude?
Be an example in love. I'm not going to quote the entirety of 1 Corinthians, but let me point out a few things. This is not talking about the kind of love you have towards your family, your friends, or even to your husband or wife. This is talking about spiritual love. Deep, meaningful love. Love is patient. If someone is in your way, be patient, maybe they're having a problem. Love is not boastful or conceited. If you did this big awesome thing and it's so cool and you're so proud of it, good for you. We're all happy for you, great job! But please, don't rub it in our faces every chance you get. Love keeps no records of wrongdoings. If someone hurts you, find it in your soul and by the help of God, forgive them, and forget about it. Put it in the past, it is irrelevant.
Be an example in faith. In the movie Amazing Grace, which chronicles the story of William Wilberforce and his drive to abolish slavery in England, one of the characters, William Pitt, states," We're too young to realize certain things are impossible. Which is why we will do them anyway." That is the faith we should have. We do not know if anything is possible, but we believe that God can do anything, so we jump at the chance to do things for God. Faith is about action. About moving. We are too young to worry about what the world thinks of our radical Christianity, we are young, and therefore have the audacity to move when God tells us to.
Be an example in purity. You guys, society, and sadly everyone in churches now, expect you to have sex before marriage. If you are in a relationship for longer than six months, it is expected that you have done it. You can't have a healthy relationship without having sex. This is a lie. We are supposed to be an example! Why aren't we stepping up to the challenge of standing for purity and a clean heart in this world that advocates sexual experimentation? This is not just a physical purity, this is about your heart. There is so much I could say about this, but I need another post to fully go into it.
Your time, OUR time, is now. It's not after college, it's right now. What are you being held back by that you cannot fully commit yourself to the work of God? If it's a person, sever those ties. If it's a job, quit it. God will provide for you being faithful. If it's your family, move out. God has called you to something bigger than what you're doing right now.
Please. Please, don't waste these years. You were made for so much more than this.
Burdened in Christ,
Emily E.
Amen. I really needed that Em, thanks.
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ReplyDeleteYour blog really moved me! It is very inspiring thank you so much for that I really needed it just the like the person before me put. Again thank you so much! Really inspiring!! :)
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