Tuned In – Palm Valley Youth

posted by: Darius Sanders

Scripture
Acts 23:21-22
“…There are more than 40 men hiding along the way ready to ambush him (Paul).  They have vowed not to eat or drink anything until they have killed him.  They are ready now, just waiting for your consent.”  ”Don’t let anyone know you told me this,” the commander warned the young man.

Observation/Own words
40 men decided they would never eat or drink again until Paul was dead.  Paul’s nephew, a young man, heard about this plot to kill Paul and he decided to do something about it.  He told the commander of the Roman army what these men planned on doing.  The commander made sure that Paul’s life was spared by providing extra protection for him as he traveled.  Paul’s nephew, described as a young man, saved his life!

Application
Young people should really be tuned in to this passage.  This shows that a young person made a wise decision and changed the course of history.  Had this young person not talked to the commander, Paul could have been killed and the bible as we know it today would not exist.  Paul eventually wrote the books of Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon.  Had his life not been spared, we would not have these phenomenal books of the bible to draw God’s truth from. 

It’s no wonder then that Paul writes in 1 Timothy 4:12, “Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young…”  I’d like to think of myself as a young person but I get the feeling here that Paul is referring to teenagers.  As a teenager, you have a lot to offer the world.  You can make a huge difference in the course of history if you simply choose to live your life for Christ and let that relationship with Him fuel the decisions you make.  I’m committed to always looking for the best in teenagers.  I hope that one day your name will be written in a history book, like this young man, as someone that changed the course of history.

Prayer
God, teenagers are given a bad rap by so many people.  I pray that I would never look down on them or think any less of them regardless of what stage of life I’m in.  Thank you for showing through Your Word that young people can make a huge difference.  I pray that the young people of Palm Valley Church would recognize the potential they have to change the course of history, and then turn that potential into reality.