24 November | EVERYONE
"Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity." 1 Timothy 4: 12
"It wasn't me; it cannot be me," Hillary laments. And she cries over the pain of her reality. The young woman is barely fifteen years old. A flower that opens to life, watered with her own tears, tears of sadness and drops of regret. She shakes her head from side to side and insists, "It cannot be me." As if denying reality could make her go back to the past and choose another path. "How was I able to destroy my parents' dream and mine? No, it cannot be me."
But yes, it was her. It was her who, after playing "love," was now expecting a baby. She was barely more than a child. No one understands the reasons of the soul. The heart is mysterious and incomprehensible. It confuses you; it deceives you; it lies to you. It makes you believe that you are going to paradise and leads you to death.
The years go by. You grow. You become an adult. And the heart keeps betraying you. You cannot comprehend it. You cry repeatedly over spilled milk. You cry for the water under the bridge that was lost, taking your dreams away to water the seed of pain, to make it sprout in the form of experience. You ask yourself, "Why?" You shout, "It was not me!" But it was you, and you know it. Perhaps that is why Nicaraguan poet Rubén Darío said that youth is a precious gift that is wasted in the hands of young people.
From a biblical outlook, however, it is not inexorable. It is possible to be young and wise. It all depends on your relationship with God. Wisdom is not the heritage of age.
In Timothy's day, as in all times, many believed that being young was synonymous with irresponsibility. But today's text shows us how Paul encouraged young Timothy while reminding him of the great responsibility entrusted to him.
Take Action
If you are young, you do not have to be immature: In Jesus, it is possible to burn through stages of spiritual maturation and serve as an example to others. And if you are not young anymore, encourage those who still are by avoiding preconceptions about their age! Sing "Be an Example" (if possible, with your family).