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Are We Being Snookered?
There is a lot of emphasis on keeping our youthful appearance. How many ads do we see about someone’s Fountain of Youth for sale. Take this, put this on, do this and you will stay young. As Christians, perhaps we should ask this simple question in relation to staying youthful: are we being snookered?
Question: when the focus is maintaining one’s youth, what is the primary emphasis? Perhaps one answer that may give you pause is this: the flesh! Especially, if it’s about appearances. You could get so wrapped up in all the hype, that you focus on the flesh, while losing sight of spiritual things. Let’s be clear, the spiritual does outweigh the physical.
Another problem with this emphasis is it’s easy to lose sight of your identity. If you feel your significance comes through looking young and vibrant, your identity in Jesus loses its importance. Here’s an interesting question to consider: if you become enthralled with looking young, have you become more concerned about what other people think about you than what God thinks? For whom are you trying look good?
Is this one big cloak for pride to hide behind? Don’t misunderstand, stewarding your body well for God is a good thing. It does play a role in our overall stewardship of what He gives us, but don’t get tricked into the things of the world.
1 John 2:15-17 Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.
Hazards of Chasing Your Youth
Here’s another consideration: there are things from our youth that don’t belong in our lives as disciples of Jesus Christ. There are a number of things we’re called to put away. Would it be possible to gravitate toward those things, because of a shift in focus? By looking back at what your appearance once was, would you also become nostalgic about the other parts of your former life, prior to Jesus?
There are things from our youth don’t serve us well at all. The immature things such as impatience, harshness, wrath (you know, the sudden outbursts of anger, which may be another word for an adult temper tantrum). Don’t forget pride, ego arrogance, along with all other the works of the flesh (read Galatians 5:19-21).
If you’re a young person who hasn’t made very many laps around the sun, be careful about this trap. For sure, keep healthy, but staying strong is not the end-all, be-all. It’s not your identity. Much could be said here, but you get the point.
Here’s an assignment, read Ephesians 4:10-5:21, and Colossians 3:5-17. Meditate on it, ask the Lord to reveal those things you need to see about yourself, and then allow Him to help you make any adjustments you might need.
2 Corinthians 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
God’s Secret to Youth
Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Do you remember reading this about Moses? Although Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died, his eye was not dim, nor his vigor abated. (Deuteronomy 34:7).
Moses waited on the Lord!
Colossians 3:1-4 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, Who is our Life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
One final thought: this body we have been given, is going to die. It’s a temporary living space and is not eternal. We cannot afford to give it more attention than it deserves; otherwise, we may become distracted from the truly important things.
2 Corinthians 5:1-4 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
