Ecclesiastes 11:9 “Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; Walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes; But know (REMEMBER) that for all these God will bring you into judgment.”
Being YOUNG is such a WONDERFUL time, yet so many young people WISH to RUSH through their youth. Remember how you could not wait to be a certain age?
Ecclesiastes 11:9 tells us not to RUSH through our youth but REJOICE in our days of being young! While it can be STRESSFUL it really is a most WONDERFUL time of life! A young person should ENJOY these days! They should not wish them away. And definitely, they should not WASTE them!
Many of you reading this are either parents or grandparents of a YOUTH and/or you minister to those who are YOUTH. You should have Ecclesiastes 11:9 as one of your go-to verses for advising, yes, discipling your youth. It is one of the best ways to remind a young person of the tremendous opportunities they have to dream and explore possibilities for their life. It also is one of the best verses to remind them that choices have consequences. I do not know how many times I have said you make your choices and then your choices make you! Young people need to know this. A young person needs to know the law of sowing and reaping.
Placing Ecclesiastes 11:9 before your youth helps them to KNOW they will ANSWER for their ACTIONS. While they are free to choose their activities and actions, they are not free to choose who they answer to for their actions. Each young person has a variety of AUTHORITY to answer to their lives like parents, grandparents, guardians, teachers, coaches, and even local authorities like police (and I would include pastors). As well, they need to be taught that the authority of authorities they answer to is God!
Yes, a young person is to REJOICE in their youth. But they are also to REMEMBER in their youth who they answer to. They are to enjoy their youth with an eye toward eternity.
If you are young, make wise choices! If you have responsibilities with young people, help them to make wise choices that they will be glad they made when standing before God!
Along with using Ecclesiastes 11:9 for training and discipling your youth be sure to keep before them 1 Timothy 4:12 as it teaches the right actions to take. In case you do not remember it: 1 Timothy 4:12 “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”
Continue Strong for Him enjoying every day with an eye toward eternity
And remember to DATE The Word!