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Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.
-I Timothy 4:12
You won’t be surprised to see me use this verse from time to time. It’s because I’m continually inspired by them and if you see what they’re up to, you will be too. What have they done now? You won’t believe it. A little background... Like most things in scripture, Jesus holds a higher standard. While the Old Testament demands a 10% tithe to God, Jesus is constantly saying it’s harder to be generous than meet the minimums. He tells the rich young ruler to sell EVERYthing and the widow gives her SINGLE solitary coin. Jesus does not advocate we scrape by. He insists we commit.
It’s easy for us as modern Christians to see everything outside of the 10 commandments as mere guidelines and suggestions instead of a way of life to grow closer to emulating. It’s SO hard for us adults to imagine a life that looks different than everything around us. You know who has great imagination? Kids. Teens. The youth who dream dreams. When we teach them that giving of their time, talents, and treasure is not an adult responsibility for their future selves but an essential part of their young discipleship, they respond with energy, imagination, and love.
Two weeks ago, our youth lesson was on the kind of generosity Jesus pointed to over and over and what it means to be stewards of our resources, time, and even our bodies, rather than owners. From there, we asked the youth to consider everything they have and are as God’s first and what they could offer as a part of their faith journey this year. They filled out pledge cards which were placed on the table this past Sunday. Some committed part of their salary from their part time jobs, some to mission and service, some to VBS volunteering, and some to talking with their parents about being organ donors when they get a license soon.
Although our stewardship season is over officially, we continue to accept pledge cards for several weeks. If you’ve never sat down and taken inventory of the life and resources God has placed on your stewardship, please do so prayerfully. If you’ve never submitted a pledge card or you have but didn’t consider your time and talents as well, consider Jesus is calling you. Be inspired by the example of our youth. And if you wanna sit down and talk about it, call me. I’d love to. Let’s set an example of faith and what together.
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