The last post was on the first clause of 1 Timothy 4:12: “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young,” (NIV); this post examines the second part of that verse: “but set an example for the believers speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity” (NIV).
In recent years, as society has progressed, the expectations and responsibilities placed on youth have steadily regressed.
This, of course, is not without its consequences.
As there has been a decrease in expectations, there has been a corresponding decrease in credibility. The expectations and responsibilities placed on a person are often dictated by that person’s perceived capabilities. If I believe you are capable of much, I am going to expect much of you. If our generation is being given low expectations, we should not be surprised when people assume we are capable of little. As Christians, we are called not to conform to these worldly expectations but to shatter them. When we do, our actions lend credence to our words and our testimony.
