Proverbs 30:24
Four things are small on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise:
The ants, the badgers, the locusts and the lizards: all are small comparatively, yet great in their “wisdom” (verses 25-28). If these small creatures were to make up the members of a sports team I can guarantee you that my mom would be rooting for them. She’s always possessed an overwhelming weakness for the underdog. Whether it had anything to do with me being such a runt while growing up, I’ll never know. One thing’s for sure though, she isn’t the only one I know who roots for the underdog. Our God has consistently chosen out for His work those who the rest of society labels as “weak.”
Do you ever experience serious doubts as to the extent that God could use you to change the world? Whether you are hesitant to count yourself as valuable to the Lord because of your age, popularity or knowledge of the Bible, be encouraged to know that God is not interested in any of those stipulations. He is only interested in your faithfulness to Him. Someone once told me, “God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called.” As cliche as this statement may be, it has always remained close to my heart. Once we realize that God is interested in our faithfulness more than our abilities, even the world is not too large to overcome.
I challenge you to ask the Lord where He could use you the most; don’t wait any longer to begin His work. The misconception that we will begin our service to the Lord tomorrow is one of Satan’s best tactics in slowing down this vast army of God (James 4:13-14). The youth of this generation are as numerous as the locusts mentioned in Proverbs. If we would only unite in prayer and service, the world would be shaken off its foundation. We are God’s hands and feet to a dying world, yet we point a searching generation in no direction and fail to lead them anywhere, much less in the right direction. You are never too young to become an active member of the Lord’s army. 1 Timothy 4:12 says, “Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.” Your age is of no consequence to the Lord, He only requires that you would live the life you have been called to pursue.
Finally, I challenge you to remember the example of Paul. He was the “chief of sinners” yet God developed Him into the greatest evangelist and missionary the world has ever known. Through his unwavering faithfulness and obedience to Christ, Paul was used by God to spread the Gospel from Asia Minor to Rome. The book of Acts paints what should be an inspiring picture to us all. Paul was abused physically, emotionally and spiritually yet pressed on in His faithfulness to God. Nothing could separate Him from the Lord’s call on his life, not acceptance, hatred, physical injury, shipwreck or age hindered Him from delivering the Gospel to the “ends of the earth.” You may be the only Gospel of Christ that your friends and family will ever have the opportunity to see. May I ask you what’s stopping you from being used by the Lord today? I imagine you will find neither physical nor social barricades, but only the condition of your heart in the way.
For God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7b).