Don’t Let Anyone Look Down On Your Youth

Matt Barkley is a young man of that has been thrown into the light of college football. He has been under scrutiny as the starting freshmen quarterback for one of the nations most powerful teams – University of Southern California. Pete Carroll has been questioned and second guessed for his move to start this season with a freshmen quarterback. He has enjoyed several years of highly successful quarterbacks such as Sanchez, Booty, and Leinart. It appears from the first two weeks that Matt Barkley is ready for the challenge of his high profile position. Youth has not been a barrier in his, his coaches or his team mates eyes, but the outside world sees it as an issue.

Paul had a young man in a high profile position that faced the same battle. His name was Timothy. It is evident that people were second guessing young Timothy being in a key leadership position. Paul in his letter to Timothy wrote: “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” Paul put high expectation on a young man in a high profile position. Timothy was the lead pastor of the Church at Ephesus.

It seems that in today’s society instead of encouraging and placing young people in high pressure, high profile positions we water down our expectation. We send the message that they are not old enough or experienced enough to be what God wants and do what God wants. Let us be the ones who raise the bar. Train up our children to lead. Let us not hold our youth and young adults back. Let’s put them in the game. Yes, we will be second guess and questioned, but I believe they are ready for the task. Will they make mistakes? Yes. Will they need mentors? Yes! But so do we. I would rather follow the lead of a young energetic leader than someone who is older and has become jaded by the world and church. Give me young people who love God and want to serve Him and we will see God make a huge impact on our church, community and society.

Matt Barkley was able to rise to the challenge and I believe that our nation if filled with young people with the same tenacity.

I Pee In Pools

My son has a t-shirt that reads, "I PEE IN POOLS". I mean it is right across the front and yes I did just use the word "pee". I remember the first time I saw his shirt. I was kind of taken off guard. How could anyone be so honest and just proclaim it before the world. Now, I know many of you have never peed in a pool but most folks have (I always am scared that they are going to have some kind of chemical in the pool to make all the water around me change colors.) I think each of you have at least thought about peeing in a pool.

Yesterday I was listening to The Nines and one of the presenters told the following story and I hope I get it right. He said that while on vacation and sitting by the pool and reading a book (what pastors do) his son came up to him and said, "Daddy, I have to pee!". To which his father, deeply engrossed in his book said, "Son, just go pee in the pool!" Then he went back to reading his book. Shortly after everyone got quiet around the pool except for a few laughs. He looks up to see what is going on and you guessed it. His son is standing beside the pool peeing in the pool. He then runs over to his son and ask, "What are you doing?" to which the son replies, "Daddy, you told me to pee in the pool!".

Another of the presenters told this story. He had asked a man what do you pray for everyday. To which he replied, "I pray that I would hear the voice of God and have the courage to obey what He says." Wow. That is one great prayer. So now I want to bring this prayer and peeing in pools together. "Daddy, you told me to pee in the pool!" The son heard his father and obeyed his father. The son did not consider how crazy, stupid or humiliating it would be. He just did it. "Hear God and obey".

I want a t-shrit that says, "I PEE IN POOLS". Why? Because it now has a different meaning to me. It means I will do WHATEVER God tells me to do. It mean that I will listen to him and immediately do what He says. And yes, I believe if we all would just hear God and obey God everyone will stop and look. Some will grow quiet. Some will laugh. But regardless, we would be doing what God has said do. Today, will you pee in the pool if God says to. What has God told you to do that you refuse to do because you do not PEE IN POOLS. Pee in a pool today, obey God.

For all those who are offended, forgive me this is a pool God told me to pee in.