Raising young men and women in accordance with the Word of God (Prov. 22:6) is not only a biblical mandate, but also a cultural responsibility. As young adults, they have a duty to positively influence the world without fear and compromise. In 1 Tim. 4:12 Paul tells Timothy, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity” Before God could do anything big, he often looks for valiant men and women (Jer. 48:14) who have been brought up in ways pleasing to the lord. David for instance was brought up as a shepherd, and he was skilled in different artistic skills form making slings and knowing how to throw them right on target. He knew how to attack an animal threatening the flocks; as shown by how he attacked a lion and a bear with bare hands.
One day the philistine giant, called Goliath was shouting a war cry against the Israelites and nobody could challenge him (1 Sam. 17:20). The world is shouting a war cry against every one of us but nobody is bold enough to face it .Nobody is there to say the hand of the lord is upon me, or the lord will deliver you into my hands today, just as David did. This is a good opportunity to prepare these young Davids to fight for their future and claim it while they are still young. We need to train them to be good stewards of God’s sheep and his temple. We need to train them on how to fight and overcome the Goliath which is killing this generation. The goliath of rebellion and disobedience and drugs and violence and disrespect and immorality. This Goliath is everywhere. He is on the internet and in schools and everywhere in our community. Raising teenagers in a foreign culture is hard enough but worse still when it is a generation of hybrid cultures.
Our focus is to teach our young adults how to stay and stand for themselves using the word of God and his full armor (Eph. 6:11). We want to teach them to say, “You have prepared a table before me in the presence of my enemies” (Ps 23:5) and they don’t run in all directions like the Israelites (1 Sam. 17:24). We teach them how to nurture and perfect the gift of God in their lives as we see in 1 Tim 4:14. As we know, David was a gifted musician, a great shepherd and a warrior. We want to teach and train the young adults to perfect whatever gift God has given them. The Holy Spirit has given these young men and women many gifts including the gifts of playing instruments, singing, teaching, service and many more. Our responsibility is to direct these gifts to maturity and fruition to the glory of God.
