WHO IS A YOUTH (PART II)

CHAPTER 1:

 INTRODUCTION:

WHO IS A YOUTH

May our sons in their youth be like plant full Grown,  our daughters like corner pillars cur for The structure of a palace- Psalms 144:12

Youthful stage is such a beautiful moment in the life of every individual. It is a stage where God given gifts of the individual is manifested. Youth stage is such a magical moment of life an average adult person dream or wish for the second time. It is such a moment where every youth is supposed to effectively maximize his or her Divine potentials. Sadly to say that, many have abused, misused or even neglected these gifts. Others have refused to acknowledge who they are, thereby creating room for all forms of abnormal behaviors ranging from idleness, maladaptive thinking, and other criminal behaviors ranging from misdemeanor, simple to even felonious crimes. Some have even engaged themselves in drugs and other substance related abuse, as well as many other maladaptive behaviors which are not only injurious to the person him/herself alone but his/her environment.  

I lament inside of me when I interact with most of these youths. Many do try to explain away their moral decadence by blaming the devil, while some will narrate how circumstances led to their present predicament. Others will lay blames on their parents for not providing for them. Others seem to God for bringing them in poor family. I want to remind you that your parent is not a barometer to your success but what you do and do the right way. Every step you take in life takes you to your success or failure, pain or pleasure. It is a matter of decision or the choice you make. I am not neglecting parental role here but emphasizing on the individual. Others will just say I don’t know how it all happened. Worst of it all is that many do not even know who they are. They do not even believe in themselves. 

In fact, their mentality has become so narrow-minded that they do not even believe that they can change things around them. One thing many have not known here is that the youthful stage is very short. So, anything you do or refused to do here can never be corrected. You can only wait for the reward ahead of time. For instance, when you refused to plan ahead of time during your youthful stage, you should not expect to reap anything in the future except you want to claim another person’s handwork during your old age. It is your youthful stage that determines how your old age will look like. 

 Ecclesiastes 12:1 says, “Remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth, time will come when you will have no pleasure (the strength to enjoy the things of life)”.

 

Now, let me explain something here to girls. Youthful stage of girls is too short compare to boys, they should understand that. Many of them marry on time, those who marry on time and start caring and focusing on family’s responsibilities usually do not have enough time to maximize their potentials and gifts except by God’s grace. The good news is that it is never too late. In the case of male youth, the case is somehow different because most of them cross the age of 30 to 35 before getting married. The basic question here is that what have you done or what are you doing with this moment, what change are you effecting, what impact are you making, and what fruits are you showing? What glory are you giving to God or have you only succeeded in giving the devil the glory?

See the words of Robert Kenneth:

“This world demands the qualities of youth:

not a time of life but a state of mind, a temper

of the will, a quality of imagination, a predominance of courage over timidity of the appetite for adventure over the life of ease.”