(photo credit: disciplemagazine.com)
"Let no one despise or think less of you because of your youth, but be an example (pattern) for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity." (1 Timothy 4:12, Amplified Version)
This verse has filtered through the various phases of my ministry. I was 26 when I began my first pastorate and tried (sometimes successfully) to avoid dumb, youthful mistakes. After 20 years as a pastor, when I was no longer one of the young ones, I moved to a ministry where I was once again one of the youngest of my peers.
Experience has taught me an important lesson: lack of experience is not the same as immaturity, and it is a bad excuse.
Observation has taught me another lesson: length of life and abundance of experience are not adequate safeguards against immaturity.
So here's Dr. G's paraphrase: No matter what age you are, don't do dumb, immature things that cause you to lose credibility. Be the one that people look up to, not the one they make excuses for.
Question: What do you think is the most common excuse people use for immature behavior?
Leave a comment below. Our community would benefit from your insight.
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