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.
Timothy was a young pastor in a culture where age was highly respected. It can obviously be quite difficult to lead people who believe you are too young and inexperienced to be leading. This was the issue Paul was addressing when writing to his pupil: for Timothy to lead effectively, his words needed to have authority; for his words to have authority, he had to prove to his dissenters that their expectations did not match reality.
In the first part of verse 12, Paul lays the baseline that Timothy is not to conform to low expectations: “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young.” In the second part, Paul states how Timothy is to respond: “But set an example…” The word “but” demonstrates a direct contrast in the two clauses. Timothy cannot obey Paul by simply not allowing people to look down on him (rejecting low expectations)– in response, he must set an example. These are not separate commands that can be followed individually, but they must be followed simultaneously. We are not to conform; we are to set an example.
This distinction should not be overlooked. One of the fastest ways to lose credibility is to say one thing but do another: to be hypocritical. If I say that you should you should work hard at all times while I, myself, am avoiding doing a job, my words do not make a compelling case. If I work as hard as you do, there may be more weight to them. It could make sense for Paul to instruct Timothy to act in a way that matches the rest of the congregation considering there are older and likely more respected members in the church; culturally, these are the ones who would have been looked up to due to their age. But that is not what Paul mandates. Instead, he charges Timothy to “set an example” for the community. Timothy is not just to exceed the expectations placed on him, but he is to shatter them by following God to the extent that even the older and more experienced members of the church follow his example.
These truths apply to us as youths today. If we expect to be able to credibly share the Gospel with anyone, we must be living in a way that surpasses the low expectations placed on us. The Gospel is not composed of empty words, but of life-altering truth that reveals itself in Christ’s followers in every aspect of life.
In the same way that Paul listed five important ways for Timothy to set an example in ministry to his fellow believers, we are to display the radical effect of the Gospel to all people in every facet of our lives: “Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people” (Colossians 3:23 CSB). When work is carried out for God and not for man, there is a notable difference. There is no griping and complaining. There is no search for shortcuts. Instead, everything is done- from day-to-day minutia to coordinated projects- in appreciation and worshipful service to the One who deserves all praise and thanks.
As believers, we are called to share the Gospel (Matthew 28:19-20). That becomes very difficult to do effectively when we look like everyone else in our generation. However, when we decide to surpass what is expected, we gain credibility and show people that there really is something that is different in those who claim to follow Christ. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it. Let’s get to work.