1 Timothy 4:12 ‘Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith and your purity.’

This scripture draws my mind to the story of David when he was a youth.

God spoke to Samuel and told him he was ready to anoint a new king of Israel. In his search God led Samuel to ask Jesse to bring his sons to the temple. When he did, Jesse – David’s own father didn’t bring him. Why would he? He had seven other strong handsome king looking sons – David was young, and had a job to do tending the family’s sheep.

What I love so much about this story is the work of our Waymaker. Samuel was impressed by Jesse’s oldest son Eliab. He looked as a king should – surely it was him — but God — saw differently. Yes, Jesse’s other sons did look the role, but God wasn’t looking at the physical stature of those men, he was seeking the pure heart of a man striving after him… the heart of the youth that was praying, and singing songs of praise privately as he watched over those sheep.

Samuel, in his obedience to God continued on working through those seven sons only to find none of them were the one God was looking for, prompting him to ask if there is another… God made a way.

Today let’s join together in prayer over our children’s back to school journey. Let’s pray that their faith be pure and strong as they are encouraged by the life of David. In those moments when they question their value, or someone steps in and tells them they can’t do this or do that because they are only a young person – may they be reminded that the God of the Universe saw David and made a way for his anointing– He heard the songs David would sing, and prayers he would pray as he was out there all alone tending to those sheep. May our students be reminded to continue on pursuing what God has for them as they foster their relationship with Him remembering all the while that it was while David was alone tending those sheep praying, and singing those songs that God saw him and privately prepared him for the role he was calling him to fulfill. Yes, maybe our kids are ‘mere’ youth but so was David when he was anointed king and as he killed the bear, overcame the lion, and slayed that giant. 

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