...I was told what it means to be a man...
"Remember your Creator in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say,
'I find no pleasure in them...'"
There is a time for our lives, and it is over before you know it.
The balance of life will give us opportunity to stop and look at where we're going, and judge ourselves and see if that's where we should be.
It's interesting to hear statistics of when people usually accept Christ and submit to God. By far, they say, the decisions are made before the age of 18. One reason for that, I presume, is that the heart gets harder, we get set in our ways, and it's just harder to repent the older you get. This is a really good reason to get right with God at an early age. There is something to be said for learning some hard knocks, but no one says we have to. We have written instruction all over the place that can warn us and help prevent making wrong choices. There is also something wonderful to be said of walking with God and staying pretty consistent with it for all the days of your life. No one says you have to "have a testimony," where you can talk about how bad you once were and then you were forgiven. Yes, we're all sinners, but there's something wonderful about growing up and receiving a heritage of faith. At some point you must come to grips with your sin and at some point you must "own" your own faith, but blessed are you if that is where you're at.
The point about youth is that the earlier we start along the path where we want to end up, the easier it can be for you later on. If you hold on to a habit that you know is wrong, it's not going to get easier to give up someday...it'll be harder. The flippant way we deal with things in our youth has its benefits (no one wants to be around someone who hates themself and who practically flogs themself over every mistake), but it's also not the behavior or way you want to pattern your life down the road. The quicker you deal with those attitudes, the better the future will be.
"I'm only immature once, I need to revel in it and experience it while I can!" Few would argue that out loud, but if we are holding on to something we know we will let go of one day, perhaps we can rethink that. Maybe it is no big deal for a time; but maybe it'd be a good area to show some growth and maturity in right now. That's not my call.
I've got to deal with the same thing, as well as a slightly different perspective. I want to make sure I'm heading down the right path for my future; but I also need to check my parenting methods. I want to look at how I want my children to grow up -- my vision or hope for their life. I can't dictate how they will actually end up, but I can nurture good attitudes and habits, and so forth. If I'm not doing that now, my hopes for a certain characteristic or virtue are simply wishes at that point. Along with prayer, I need to make sure I'm being consistent for them and their future.
We all got it going on.
PS Sunday the interns and I are going down to San Antonio to catch the Warped Tour. It'll be fun to see Underoath.
Posted by Doug Van Pelt at June 24, 2005 08:58 AM