Young People- Reflect The Image Of God!

There is no doubt in my mind that it is more difficult to be a teenager or young adult today than 21 years ago when I graduated from High School. Back then it seemed like as a teenager you were always looked at suspiciously by most adults, but that is probably even truer today. Young people always seemed to be looked at as up to something, doing no good, defying authority, or getting into trouble. It is absolutely wrong to judge all young people in this way, and to be continually suspicious of them. There is no doubt that there are young people today that lack a proper respect for authority and are bent on finding trouble, and though this may seem more prevalent now it has always been the case. Even as far back in the Bible as the days of Elisha the prophet young people have struggled with proper respect. Back then some youths met and mocked Elisha calling him, “Baldhead”. And God met these youth’s mocking of Elisha with severe judgment. For young people it is a difficult transitional time between childhood and adulthood. And more often than not parents do a poor job of leading and supporting their children through this most difficult time in their lives. Parents seem to either give their children too much room and freedom while neglecting them, or do not properly spend the time explaining the true liberty that comes from respecting God ordained authority. Young people need to find patient loving leadership from their parents, pastors, teachers, and role models. Paul said to Timothy in his first pastoral letter to him, “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” (1Tim.4:12) As adults we should despise no one for their youth, but rather encourage the youth of today to reflect the image of God in which they were created. Try and make a point of this with some young person today!