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.