The Consequences of Youth and Maturity
When individuals are young, the repercussions of their mistakes, wrongdoings, and selfishness are not as severe as they are when they mature. As people advance in age, position, and career, the impact of their actions—whether positive or negative—increases. This is a primary reason to seek guidance, discipline, and faith during youth.
When Older People Become Young Believers
When older people become believers and are therefore young Christians, we often presume that they should be as mature spiritually as they are physically. But here’s the truth: before they got born again, they were worldly, and there’s often no instant transformation of character.
Yes, there are exceptional cases—like an instant loss of appetite for cigarettes—but these are rare. Someone who comes to know the Lord at 30, 40, or older still faces the same struggles new Christians face: offense, lust, anger, selfishness, and so on. They are still inclined to think carnally—to think first of saving their own skin.
The Selfishness of Youth
When people are younger, they often think primarily of saving themselves from trouble. A young person might act selfishly—for instance, a boy who sees his poor boarding schoolmate and refuses to share any of his abundant provisions.
How much can a young person have? Perhaps five thousand naira, four tins of milk, or three packets of biscuits. The damage is limited. But what happens when a Christian man or woman who now has millions of naira remains selfish?
Imagine a poor brother struggling with debts, knowing that just one pair of the rich man’s shoes could pay his children’s school fees. The weight of selfishness increases with age, wealth, and influence.
The Expanding Impact of Sin
A young person may lie to avoid punishment, and that falsehood might affect only their immediate household or classmates. But as people rise in influence, their lies carry heavier consequences.
When a top civil servant or company executive lies to cover up fraud and shifts the blame to subordinates, people lose jobs. When someone in authority denies a truth, generations may be misled—falsehoods can even be immortalized in books.
Similarly, if a married person falls into adultery, the ripple effect can destroy homes and tear families apart. That is far more devastating than a teenager’s hidden sin of fornication or pornography; the older one grows, the greater the impact of disobedience.
The Wisdom of Seeking God Early
It’s really the truth when Scripture says in Ecclesiastes 12:1,
“Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth.”
The wisdom of God remains timeless. Like Timothy, it should be said of us that,
“From childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation” (2 Timothy 3:15).
Take this from an older person’s perspective: only a very small percentage of people get truly saved at an older age. Be wise. Seek and know God while you are young.
Date: 20th July 2022
Author: Ita Udoh
Source: https://g-lh.org/blog/in-your-youth/
