“Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12 ESV).
While “youth” is a relative term, the idea behind 1 Timothy 4:12 is applicable to any stage of life: Don’t let others look down upon you. Set an example for them to follow. We can fulfill these directives if we seek to honor God in the five areas of life mentioned here…
Speech: This encompasses more than just profanity or inappropriate language. For instance, there are those whose lives reflect a never-ending barrage of complaints, criticisms, negativity, cynicism, and fault-finding. But instead of focusing upon these negative qualities, we would be better served to ask for God’s help in applying the words of Philippians 4:8 and Ephesians 4:29…
“…Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things in others. Think about all you can praise God for and be glad about” (TLB).
“Don’t use bad language. Say only what is good and helpful to those you are talking to, and what will give them a blessing” (TLB).
Life: This refers to our conduct and reputation among others, for one poor decision can instantly ruin a good name. In this respect, the Biblical message from 1 Peter 2:12 bears repeating: “…maintain good conduct among the non-Christians, so that though they now malign you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God when he appears” (NET).
Love: While we often associate love with an external display of affection, it also involves a Christ-oriented commitment to act in the best interests of others, even in the absence of an emotional feeling. For example, genuine love seeks to determine what is best for everyone in a given situation and expresses a willingness to defer to others whenever appropriate.
While the circumstances may change from person to person, we can often identify a loving response by answering the following question: “What is in the best interest of the people who are involved in this situation from God’s perspective?” Paul the Apostle expanded upon this idea in his Biblical epistle to the Philippian church…
“Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself. Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well” (Philippians 2:3-4 NET).
We’ll continue our look at this attribute from 1 Timothy 4:12 next.