Welcoming Wisdom

I know I don’t usually write anything original. Typically its because I don’t feel as if I have anything new to add to the massive amounts of information currently stored on the internet. But tonight is different. These words are here to encourage and to exhort fellow believers not to tear anyone down. Please do not take this as anything less. 

Tonight I was scrolling through facebook (which for various reasons I have not done in forever) and I came across a status talking about young people today. I know I am not still in the “youth” category but I am a young lady so I proceeded to read what they had to say. It stated that youth these days are incredibly disrespectful and that previous generations were better behaved. Maybe its because I’ve grown up being generalized into groups that I did not identify with or that I’m tired of seeing others being judged based on insignificant indicators of what their personality should be, but I was slightly offended. After thinking about this I remembered something God said through the words of Paul, 

“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

I know I am not alone when I say that this has been my ambition since I was young and is the same for a handful of mature and godly young people who desire to glorify God in everything they do including respecting those around us. Then I remembered what God told Jeremiah,

“Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord.” -Jeremiah 1:7-8  

Being a young person should never be an excuse to not portray the person and work of Jesus Christ well. So to those of you who are pursuing Christ with all you are, keep pressing on toward the goal to win the prize God has ordained for us (Phil. 3:14) and know that you are not alone in your journey. To those who expect my generation to be a failure, push us to do more for Christ with our lives and exhort one another in good works and love (Heb. 10:24). 

thereisabetterway:

“What if what we’re truly afraid of is ourselves? What if every fear that we have is rooted in our own selves? Maybe we’re too afraid of what we might find when we pull back the veil and our truest selves are exposed. Maybe our only real fear is ourselves, who we are or who we claim to be, because maybe who we claim to be isn’t really who we are. Maybe we’re afraid that once our empty, ugly selves are brought forth, that we will no longer be accepted by anyone- especially ourselves and especially God. Maybe we’re afraid that we will never amount to anything. But God, He created that person and He knows your inner being and your ugliness and your scars and your wounds better than you do. And His grace covers it. Jesus ripped the veil that separated you from Him, from allowing the truest form of yourself to be open and pure and honest. Let Him know you, and let Him introduce you to the loveliness that He finds within you.”

—

Cydney

“Burn a love and passion so pure

that only God’s will overcome

and that our love song is so very sure

That our wedding bells will always hum.”

— e.h.

“True love germinates in the soil of sacrifice, sprouts in the garden of surrender, and matures in a matrimony of servanthood. Love isn’t love until it has cost you something to give it away.” ~ excerpt from “Purity: The New Moral Revolution” by Kris Vallotton

I think I stole this from someone along the way.

tarashef:

“pride takes innumerable forms but has only one end: self-glorification.  that’s the motive and ultimate purpose of pride - to rob God of legitimate glory and to pursue self-glorification, contending for supremacy with Him.  the proud person seeks to glorify himself and not God, thereby attempting in effect to deprive God of something only He is worthy to receive.”

“You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.” (James 3:18 MSG)