A Letter in LockdownSample

THANKS CHAMP Have you ever been ‘champed,’ called buddy, chief, pal? Yes, they can be patronizing terms, can’t they? Particularly when you’re 31, and the 12-year-old working in the McDonald’s drive-through says, “How are ya, champ?” Perhaps I need to bring this to God and let it go. Nevertheless, these terms can feel condescending. When I was younger, I still didn’t like it, “I’m not a kid!” I’d think. I always felt like I had something to give, something to contribute and add. And the truth was I did. Paul speaks of a friend here called Timothy. In another letter in lockdown, Paul writes to Timothy and says, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.” You have something to give! Martina Hingis won a grand slam at age 16, Mark Zuckerburg started Facebook at age 19, and Marjorie Gestring, at age 13, became the youngest person ever to win an Olympic Gold Medal! In John’s gospel, Jesus multiplied five loaves of bread and two fish to feed over 5,000 people. John reveals that it was a young boy that brought him the bread and the fish. When you take what is limited in your hands and place it in his hands, He will produce something unlimited with it. Something greater than all you can ask, think, or imagine. You have something to give! Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young but follow Jesus and set the tone and tempo for other believers. Challenge: What is something in your hand that you can give to God? It could be a talent you have, an idea, or even a gift for someone. Watch God do the unexpected with it as you trust him. Prayer: Jesus, I thank you that I can set an example for others with my faith. Even though I am young, please give me courage and boldness to live the life you’ve called me to live so that others will see you through me. Please help me not to hold back or be shy. I believe you have called me and that I have something significant to contribute to this world.