“The young people of today are utterly dissolute and disorderly,” fumed grumpy old Martin Luther in the sixteen century. The philosopher Plato agreed – “the youth are rebellious, pleasure-seeking, and irresponsible! They have no respect for their elders.” Socrates complained, “Children now love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority. They show disrespect for elders, and love chatter.”
A 6000-year-old Egyptian tomb bears this inscription: “We live in a decadent age. Young people no longer respect their parents. They are rude and impatient. They inhabit taverns and have no self-control.”
But, before we think this “modern generation” is going from bad to worse, remember that God always has a rich handful of teenage heroes ready to change the world. In Biblical times, we read of Joseph the dreamer, who refused to commit adultery; Daniel in Babylon, who refused to stop praying; David, who killed the giant in front of his cowardly nation; and the virgin Mary, who was likely just a teen!
As a teenager, Charles Spurgeon preached to great crowds, but when they referred to his youthfulness, he replied, “Never mind my age. Think of the Lord Jesus Christ and His preciousness.”
Remember Cassie Bernall of Littleton, Colorado, who was shot for her faith during the Columbine school tragedy. She was only 17!
Some of our greatest hymns were also written by young adults. Isaac Watts wrote most of his most memorable hymns at about the age of nineteen. When poet John Milton was fifteen, he wrote the well-known “Let Us with a Gladsome Mind”. The hymn “Work for the Night Is Coming” was written by an eighteen-year-old.
When I was pastoring in Missouri, I met the author of “Jesus Use Me”. He was a furniture salesman in Kennett. When he was seventeen, he was living with his uncle in Dexter, Missouri because his parents were extreme alcoholics. His uncle was a Pastor, and one night after the Sunday services, this young man knelt by his bed and wrote, “Jesus Use Me.” Jack Campbell was never a great musician, but he loved the youth and wanted to do something that would make a real difference. He formed a little band with teenagers, and they traveled and sang. He always took care of all the finances for the ministry from his personal earnings and saved all the offerings. Those “offerings” became scholarships for those who sang with him. One girl, who started with him when she was only 13, used the funds to become a pediatrician and several became noted singers with honored, professional groups.
“My Jesus I love Thee; I know Thou art mine. For Thee all the follies of sin I resign. My gracious Redeemer, My Savior art Thou. If ever I loved Thee, My Jesus, ‘tis now.” This old hymn has been ringing in my heart all day. This deeply devotional hymn was written by William Ralph Featherston at age sixteen. He was born July 23, 1846, in Montreal. He died in the same city only 26 years later. His family attended the Wesleyan Methodist Church, and William wrote the hymn as a poem celebrating his conversion to Christ. It was printed anonymously in a British hymnal in 1864.
It is easy for us to see children who get most of the attention – the problem ones! When we do, we are overlooking those who have dedicated their lives, from their youth, to accomplish much for society and many for eternity! Most of today’s students are good kids! Most of our youth will excel in every area of life! Most of them will excel us in their accomplishments, often with much less encouragement than we received! With all the problems in our homes and in society at large, it is a marvelous thing that any of our children even amount to anything! It is easy for us to point out problems because we are always looking for them! May we work harder than ever at finding the great kids of our community and encouraging them to greatness with any resources we have.
Go Youth!
