It's Okay to Rock the Boat Sometimes by Rob Harbison
(rharbison@rome4christ.com)
Contributed by K. Dillinger
"The glory of young men is their strength, and the splendor of old men is their gray head" (Proverbs 20:29).
It was my first canoe trip ever. I had already impressed my brothers-in-law by agreeing to go with them in the first place-because I don't know how to swim! They thought I either had a lot of nerve or very little sense.
Periodically, we got wedged between rocks in the riverbed. We would then rock the boat gently or vigorously, free it, and then go floating down the river again. Sometimes the current was swift enough that if we didn't dislodge it, the canoe would fill with rushing water and sink.
Sometimes, it's okay to rock the boat.
Young people have great potential to help dislodge a church when it gets stuck or is "dead" in the water (Rev 3:1). You have fresh perspectives, idealistic passions, vibrant energy levels, and a different insight on modern culture. We're commanded to be "always abounding in the work of the Lord" (1 Cor 15:58).
It's okay for young people to "rock the boat" sometimes. This isn't making changes that are inconsistent with God's word - we're always bound by His authority (1 Petter 4:11; John 8:31-32). But God has left us some latitude in our choices of judgment. Young people often bring fresh ideas that deserve to be heard. It doesn't hurt to sincerely ask "why?"
Realize there are many people who are afraid of any change. They are worried about the discernment of young Christians. They are afraid of the enthusiasm. They are afraid of leaving traditional methods and opening the floodgates for unauthorized practices. If this doesn't degenerate into paranoia, those are legitimate concerns (1 Kgs 12:8-14). You must understand this reality.
People get into ruts because ruts are comfortable. Breaking free of one of those ruts is always rough and difficult. So profitable change comes slowly. Don't be discouraged. Remain committed long enough to God's Way of truth to make a difference. Remember these things when evoking productive change.
1. Patience. "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to have a walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love" (Ephesians 4:1-2). Some churches have run aground. The only way they can break free, and go forward is for someone to "rock the boat." They actually need their young people to get them unstuck. Stick with it-your enthusiasm can be contagious.
2. Competition Means Defeat. "Jesus...said to them: 'Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.'" (Matthew 12:25). Any house-even the Lord's-cannot stand if it is divided against itself. When it becomes a competition between youth and old age, the Lord's cause loses. It's not about old school vs. new school. We need to learn to work together.
3. Work Together. "Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart." (2 Timothy 2:22). You are not alone. You can pursue all of those positive spiritual things with older Christians. Zeal plus maturity. What a mixture-fire under control! The bottomless enthusiasm of youth and the experienced wisdom of mature age are a dynamite combo, when both are committed to obeying God's word!
Each generation brings its own strengths and advantages to the Lord's cause-the strength of youth and the wisdom of old age. Let us use them to God's glory.
Teenage Conviction by W. Frank Walton
Reprinted from "The Awesome Truth" (teen@biblical-insights.org)
"Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed,
for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go"
(Joshua 1:9).
Let me tell you about a teenager from Zimbabwe, Africa, as relayed to me by Foy Short, who preached many years there. The young man's name is Nehwati Ndlovu (Ndlovu means elephant).
In the mid-1970's, Nehwati was about 16 years old. He had been baptized, and was studying to become a gospel preacher like his father, under his father's guidance.
However, the mid-1970's were right in the midst of the war years. Bands of "terrorists" roamed the unprotected parts of Zimbabwe, intimidating the villagers, bayoneting or shooting any opposition or indifference. They abducted teenagers, both boys and girls, and taking them across the country's borders to neighboring countries to Communist training camps set up to prepare them to join the "terrorist" forces. They called it a freedom war.
Nehwati was caught up in this and along with others was taken across the Zimbabwe border to a training camp some 400 miles from his home. Soon after arrival at the camp, their subversive training started. The youngsters were given rifles; they would be taught how to use them to terrify and kill. When a rifle was handed to Nehwati, he had a change of heart. He refused to accept it, saying he was a Christian and could not use it.
Why he was not clubbed down, shot or bayoneted on the spot, we do not know. This was the normal way to squash such nonconformists then. Just think - he could have been killed and buried in an unmarked grave in a foreign country. No one from his family would have ever known what had become of him!
When bro. Short put this question to Nehwati years later, he simply looked very sober and said: "God was protecting me."
We are reminded what some other teenagers said under great pressure to do wrong: "Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the king, 'O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up'" (Dan 3:16-18).
Strangely, he was left alone for some time, then one day he was told he could go home. No assistance was offered him. He had to trek 400 miles on foot through often hostile country. Eventually, he arrived back home. As he said so earnestly and sincerely, indeed God was looking after him. Nehwati never spoke about this unless asked. Bro. Short only learned of his experience about 10 years after the war ended.
Bro. Short performed the wedding ceremony for Nehwati and his bride. They now have several children, two of them now teenagers. Nehwati has been very active in preaching, while supporting himself by market gardening. He delivers his produce by bicycle, both nearby and sometimes riding 40 miles to some markets. He first helped to build up his home congregation where his father preached. Afterward, he started a new congregation in a village about 8 miles distant. This congregation now has about 60 members, and has been responsible for helping to start two more congregations.
Think, what wonderful work teenagers can do for the Lord! You can decide to do right and to stand up for your belief in the Bible. The moral decisions you make today are forming your character and conduct for tomorrow. A dead fish goes with the flow but it takes a live fish to swim against the stream. Remember this line from the Queen Esther Veggie Tales: "You should never be afraid to do the right thing."
Stand up for Jesus and God bless you!
Short Exhort - Written and/or Compiled by David J. Riggs
(http://www.public.usit.net/driggs/)
"Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment." (John 7:24)
In certain locations, the contour of hills gives an illusion that the law of gravity is amiss. Near Los Angeles is a hill where hundreds of motorists stop their cars, shut off the engines, release the brakes and seemingly roll up hill. However, a level placed on the ground where the cars "roll up hill," will show immediately that the cars are actually rolling down hill. The eye can be deceived; the level cannot.
God has given us a similar measuring instrument: His holy word. His word establishes the true aspects of the matter and reveals whatever unevenness or distortion is involved. There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end thereof is the way of death.
Let us not make judgments on the basis of appearance, but on God's infallible truth.
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PARTING THOUGHT
Power will intoxicate the best hearts, as wine the strongest heads.
No man is wise enough, nor good enough to be trusted with unlimited
power. --Charles Caleb Colton