by Linda M. Canup
from In Touch Magazine, March 2006, pp. 28-31.
You hear about one every now and then—a concert pianist by age 8, a programming genius at 10, a chess master at 12—people so gifted at such unusually young ages that they attract international attention and create an energetic buzz in their field.
A few of our favorite believers could also qualify as prodigies in a spiritual sense. David, Jeremiah, and Timothy are just a few who were called and specially equipped to take on great missions at young ages.
While they had God’s support, they didn’t have it easy. Youthfulness has its own set of challenges. These young men often struggled with insecurities and inadequacies fueled by their lack of experience. Societal expectations and assumptions also caused them to be overlooked, underestimated, and downright persecuted for their youthfulness.
Nevertheless, these chosen few remained faithful throughout their early years and became successful as a king, a prophet, and a builder of the New Testament church.
DAVID
When Samuel came to Jesse’s house to anoint the next king of Israel, no one thought to call David in from the sheep pastures. As the lad watched over the flocks, his older brothers were presented to the visiting prophet. “Surely the Lord’s anointed one is before Him,” thought Samuel as his eyes settled on the eldest. (1 Samuel 16:6) But one by one, oldest to youngest, all seven brothers were rejected.
God did not appoint a son with noble connections, great military training, or even brute strength. He selected David, whose heart belonged to Him. (1 Samuel 16:7)
The Psalms written by the young shepherd reveal plainly His pure, steadfast love for the Father. His musical lyrics, which eloquently describe his desire to serve the Lord, boast confidently of God’s ability to deliver him from enemies. David praised the name of the Lord and proclaimed his unwavering devotion and loyalty. When oppressed by sin, he humbly sought forgiveness and pleaded for restoration and renewal. He gave voice to the nearly unexplainable emotions and
whims of the human heart.
While others saw David as a juvenile field hand, God looked within his soul and saw a courageous young man prepared to fight the enemies of the Lord and establish the kingdom of Israel on earth.
JEREMIAH
At a time when the kingdom of Judah was succumbing to sin and temptation, the Lord wanted a messenger who valued His Law and obeyed Him unconditionally. This person would need a passionate love for God’s people in order to persevere; however, he also had to desire divine righteousness so he could understand the need for inevitable judgment. An ideal candidate would be innocent of Judah’s apostasy, yet not so cynical that he would question the Lord’s plan for ultimate restoration of the Davidic kingdom.
Of course, God knew all along that Jeremiah was the right man for this task, but the future prophet wasn’t convinced. “I do not know how to speak, because I am a youth,” he protested when God issued His directive. (Jeremiah 1:6) He was too focused on himself and his inadequacies rather than on God’s plan and infinite knowledge.
The Lord put those concerns to rest by explaining that He would equip and protect Jeremiah. (v.v. 9, 18-19) He spoke to the prophet-in-training about the future as if He were telling an old story and everything had already happened: Jeremiah was already appointed and consecrated, and he would do all that God asked of him. It was a done deal.
The young man could not argue with such undeniable omniscience. He took the Lord at His word, and the rest really is history.
TIMOTHY
Ephesus was a metropolis dedicated to the worship of the Greek goddess Artemis and, as such, was susceptible to heresies. Nevertheless, because it was the capitol of the Roman province of Asia, it proved critical to the spreading of the Christian faith. Paul had a successful ministry in
that city, but by the time he entrusted it to Timothy, false teachers (Hymenaeus, Alexander, and Philetus, to name a few) were spreading heresies in full force, and many throughout Asia wandered away from the faith. (2 Timothy 1:15)
Timothy’s predicament would be stressful for any mature Christian, let alone for a young man who would have to challenge church elders twice his age.However, Paul (and most importantly, God) knew that Timothy was up to the task for at least two reasons: his sincere faith and the work the Holy Spirit in his life. (1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:5-6)
Timothy’s mother was part of a long line of faithful Jewish women who loved the Scriptures and desired to please God. Apparently, she instilled these traits inTimothy, for when Paul took him under his wing, the young man had already established an admirable reputation as a disciple. (Acts 16:2) As the two men traveled together, the apostle became well acquainted with Timothy’s strengths,weaknesses, and spiritual limitations. Therefore, when it came time to choose a guardian for the church at Ephesus, Paul confidently entrusted the city to Timothy, even though he had no prior experience.
SPIRITUAL GREATNESS
Oftentimes we romanticize the lives of these biblical heroes and elevate them to an almost mythological level. We believe we could never do anything so spectacular (some of them wrote Scripture!); we act as if the Golden Age of Christianity has passed and we have nothing but monotony to aspire to until the Lord returns.
This is anything but true. While we might perform drastically different tasks in a physical sense, we engage in similar tasks spiritually. Like David, people today are called to government offices and other positions of leadership. The Lord still directs individuals to petition for social changes and urge the culture to repent of its godless pursuits. Many have been entrusted with families, communities, and churches—like Timothy, they shepherd, protect, and teach the truths of Scripture.
In theory, we know that the Lord can use anyone He chooses to accomplish His plan, but in practice, we often get sidetracked. The world places tremendous emphasis on resumes, qualifications, and connections, so it’s understandable that we carry this mindset over to our spiritual lives as well. Even in the church, we assume that only long-standing Christians or those in the right leadership positions can do extraordinary work for the kingdom.
Yet if we honestly look at the way the Lord has used young people, then we will recognize an important truth: When He calls us to a particular assignment, He has already equipped us with the talents and abilities we will need. So stay faithful in your everyday tasks, and leave your insecurities behind, because God seeks spiritual greatness in all of us, regardless of our shape, size . . . or age.
Author Spotlight
Linda Canup is the Assistant Editor for In Touch magazine, a publication of In Touch Ministries with Dr. Charles Stanley in Atlanta, Georgia. Linda's responsibilities include evaluating query letters and manuscript submissions in addition to writing and editing articles. www.intouch.org.
During her long commutes to and from the office, she enjoys listening to NPR and great books on CD. She spends much of her remaining time supporting her husband, Glenn, in his ministry as Minister of Adult Education and Assimilation at North Metro First Baptist Church.
