The arrogance of Youth

Have you ever thought, "man those old guys are just out to lunch?"

I think this is a common problem among youth in general, but especially young pastors. I love the looks I get from students when I suggest something they just know isn't going to work, or be cool, or whatever. I know the look because I have given it to my senior pastor way to many times myself. "You really think I should just keep things running along without having a vision in place, it would be way better just to stop everything and start over don't you think?" And yet low and behold he was right.

With my students the looks they give me usually come from not understanding what I am talking about or not having the experience of knowing how these things go. The truth is they and I often find out we just don't know what we are talking about. There are many times I learn things from my students and my senior pastor has followed my lead on something that have turned out well. Paul writes to Timothy and tells him don't let people despise you because you are young, but be an example in faith, life, and purity. Youth is neither completely foolish nor completely wise as it is with age.

But Elihu makes an outlandish statement in Job chap 36. "One with perfect knowledge is with you." At least he says he got his knowledge from someone other than himself, but still "one with perfect knowledge?" This boy has been taking arrogance pills. he has some good things to say about the awesomeness of God, but his world view is so skewed. Job is suffering therefore he must have sinned. We know its not true in this story from the first few chapters of the book.

How often are we so convinced of our own world view and yet it turns out we are completely wrong? This is one of the reasons I feel so inadequate on my own to stand up and speak to a congregation. Who am I to talk to people about God and their lives? By what authority do I stand here and speak into the minds and hearts of men? The only thing I have to stand on is the world of God. My experiences shift and change as do my feelings. I need the bible to help me interpret them. By the comparison of my life and scripture I then have some basis of truth to live by and to share with others.

There are many times when we will get it wrong, whether we are young or old. I pray today first of all we would compare our lives with the story of scripture and second we would be willing to fully admit when we have it wrong. I also pray we would never have the arrogance to say, "one of perfect knowledge is here with you today." I suppose you could say it if you wanted to get laughed right off the stage.