An Untapped Resource

“And when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul. Then Paul called one of the centurions unto [him], and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him.” (Ac 23:16-17 AV)

The Bible records several very brave young people who did some very brave things.  Remember Naaman the leper?  It was a young servant girl who told him of the prophet Elijah.  What of Samuel?  The young man who had the courage to tell the elder Eli that his days were numbered.  Or what of the two young men left in Jerusalem during Absalom’s rebellion?  They ran ahead and warned David of the plans of his enemy.  There was Isaac, who lay bound on an altar of wood without so much as a peep.  Of course, we have Jesus, who at twelve years old, debated the doctors of the law for days while his parents never knew where he was.  Now, we have Paul’s nephew, who came to warn Lysias of the plans of the Jewish executioners.  Doing so would be a scarlet letter on his head for the remainder of his life.  This young man showed more courage than the cowards who wanted to kill Paul.  He showed more courage than Lysias.  This young man’s faith saved his uncle’s life.

We have an untapped resource in our churches.  Youth!  They are simple and no little of risk.  They are willing to do things that aged saints have long since abandoned.  They will go street preaching.  They will hand out tracts.  They will invite their neighborhood friends.  We often overlook the ones who could probably grow our churches better than we can.  They are the life of the church.  They are the courage of the church.  They are willing to stick their necks out if you give them the opportunity.  When we are young, we are naïve.  We simply do not understand the consequences of risk.  Nothing is measured against the potential for danger.  Sometimes, that is not a good thing.  Other times, it is what is needed.  Two of my sons went to an inner-city high school for the last few years of their high school career.  My youngest played baseball.  He was the starting pitcher.  This gave him a great deal of ‘cred’.  Even though he did not fit in like most of the students, he was not a victim, either.  As I worked with him and the other students, they accepted him and even watched out for him.  Going to that school was a significant risk.  But God protected him and even used him!

One of the most harmful things to church growth is to stymie the enthusiasm and energy of youth.  They can be the catalyst for tremendous church growth.  My wife, when see was a youngster, was a bus kid.  It was her enthusiasm that eventually brought her parents to church.  It was a little girl who loved the LORD that resulted in her mother’s salvation.  This is what our churches are missing.  Give them a task that takes a bit of courage, and they will do it.  Place a challenge in front of them, and they will rise to it.  Paul’s nephew risked far more than he realized.  But it was the right thing to do.  We have a generation that will reach their world if we give them opportunity.  They will turn their world upside down if we turn them loose.  Rather than keep them as delicate flowers who can’t do much for God, maybe we should see them for what they are.  They are often an unencumbered tool in the hand of God.