Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, including yourself!

This is a story of a recent conversation I had with a 2-3 year experienced young professional that I was working with.

Scripture

Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers. ~ 1 Timothy 4:12-16 ESV

Insights

v12a: Let no one despise you for your youth

While it’s true that you’re young, don’t let anyone look down on you, INCLUDING YOURSELF. Stop looking down on yourself. In my career, I’ve worked for, worked with, managed and interacted with people older than me. You just gotta have faith. If you truly believe that it’s God who placed you here, then be confident. True humility is having confidence in God. I believe that this is why Moses was able to write that he is the most humble man in the face of the earth, in confidence (Num 12:3). He knew everything he did and is doing is by relying on God.

v12b: but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.

Continue living out the good, loving and pure Christian values that we know.

v13: Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.

Even if you’re the youngest, you are expected to be a leader! Connecting this to v12b, we are called to be servant leaders. You can influencing your peers in a way that I could never influence because of my age/position. There are chats, discussions and even viber groups that I could never join simply because I’m a manager.

v14: Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you.

It is not an accident that your are in this company and position. And if God placed you here, He will give you all the skills and strength needed to succeed in your role (Deut 8:18). Have faith and be confident.

v15: Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching.

Continue to be diligent and hard working. There will always be someone better and more successful, so don’t be pressured by them. What matters is your progress. In fact, corporate leaders and managers usually measure their team by their progress. They understand the skills you came with when they interviewed you, so the way to exceed expectations is to simply be better than this baseline.

If you fail or make a mistake, that’s ok. What matters is what you do about it. Are you talking forward or are you stumbling back?

Enjoy the season, there will come a day when you are the subject matter expert whom people will look up to. By then, you will miss the chance learning these values that you can only learn while you’re in this position.

Application

v16: Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Meditate and reflect through these verses for the next week or so. Pray and seek God to give you your own insights. “for by doing so, you will save both yourself and your hearers”