“Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” – 1 Timothy 4:12
If you ever find yourself in a situation in which people are making you feel “less than”, remember these words. Timothy was young to be a pastor/teacher/leader. In that culture, some would be quick to dismiss him, ignore him, trivialize him, and make him feel “less than” simply because of his age. Paul’s advice isn’t for Timothy to loudly demand the people’s respect. It wasn’t to scream about his credentials and demand that he be treated based on his abundant spiritual gifts.
Instead, Paul tells Timothy to just be a good Christian. Rather than let people ignore him because of age, Paul says for Timothy to live as such a good example of what a follower of Jesus should look like that everyone will notice. Talk like Jesus. Act like Jesus. Love like Jesus. Believe like Jesus. Practice personal holiness like Jesus.
This advice remains good and relevant for your own life. If people want to dismiss you because you’re young, old, rich, poor, educated, uneducated, have a title, or don’t have a title, don’t fuss, fume, or fight about it. Instead, be a true follower of Jesus. Show everyone what it looks like to live a life transformed by Jesus into the very image of Jesus. People WILL notice. They’ll see your example, your love, your faith, your purity. They will want that for themselves. They’ll seek you out and invite you to invest in their lives because they can see that Jesus is active in your life.
Don’t worry about those who consider you “less than”. Don’t get caught up in what you “deserve”. Simply reveal Jesus through every aspect of your own life. #FollowJesus