TRUTH FOR YOUTH

BE AN EXAMPLE.. .IN CONVERSATION

By Caleb Colley

Everybody should learn lessons from young people. Paul told the young preacher Timothy to be an “example of the believers in conversation” (I Timothy 4:12) so that others could be better Christians because of Timothy’s example. The word conversation means “conduct” or, “way of life.” Samuel was an example of the believers in conversation, even when he was young. Samuel was so faithful to the Word of God when he was young the God could visit Samuel at any moment, and Samuel wasn’t embarrassed that God showed up. Samuel was always doing just what God wanted him to do, so when God came to visit Samuel in 1 Samuel 3, Samuel was not “caught” doing something wrong.

As far as we know, when God visited Samuel, Samuel never had to blush and say something like God, why did you have to come and see me now? You caught me at a bad time!” What if God unexpectedly showed up at your house? Would you be glad to see the Creator because you are living your life according to His will, or would you be embarrassed?

Would God be pleased if He caught you off guard while you were joking around with your friends, or would you have to say something like, “Dear God, I know I shouldn’t have been laughing at the kind of a joke (Titus 2:8, James. 3:2, Colossians 4:6), but I didn’t expect You to show up?”

If God visited you while you were going into the movie theater on a Saturday, would he be pleased that you were going to watch a wholesome film that would not hinder you from thinking on pure things (Philippians 4:8, Psalms 24:4, 2 Timothy 2:22), or would you be forced to apologetically exclaim, “Lord, I knew that I shouldn’t be going to see that movie, but you just caught me at a bad time. Please come back tomorrow morning and watch me worship you!”

How about school? Are you ready for God to visit you at test time when you could easily look over the shoulder of your classmate to cheat (Luke 8:15, Acts 6:3, Romans 12:17)? Are you ready for God to visit you when your teacher tells the class that evolution is historically factual and asks if the class has any questions (Genesis 1;1, Psalms 19:1, Romans 1:18-20)?

The reality is that God knows our conduct (Luke 6:8, John 2:25, Psalms 139) and is quite aware of what we do, though He doesn’t choose to talk to men face-to-face today. If we are to be examples of the believers, we’ll follow Samuel’s example of conduct.