No Let Anybody Look You Down

One young man stand up to teach one room full of older people. Some of dem fold dem hands. Some of dem dey whisper. E hold one letter from one old friend, and inside am, di words wey e need dey there.

Ephesus na one of di greatest cities for di Roman world, busy harbour, streets wey full with people, one very big theatre, and standing high above everything, di famous temple of di goddess Artemis. One church don grow there, and Paul don leave im young helper Timothy in charge, to keep im teaching true. Di work hard. Some people for di church dey spread strange ideas and foolish stories. And Timothy dey young, maybe for im thirties, wey for dat world, among elders, still count as young. Paul write to am like father to im son.

Paul start with wetin Timothy suppose feed on. If you remind di believers about dis things, Paul talk, you go be good servant of Christ Jesus, wey di words of faith and good teaching dey feed. No get anything to do with foolish myths and old people tales. Instead, train yourself for godliness. Paul like pictures from sports, and here e use one. To train di body get small value, e talk. But to train for godliness get value for every way. E carry promise for dis life, and for di life wey dey come. Na why we dey work hard and struggle, Paul talk, because we don put our hope for di living God, wey be di Saviour of all people, especially of di ones wey believe.

Then di words come wey Timothy must don read many times. No let any person despise you because you dey young. No let anybody look you down because of your age. But see how Paul talk say Timothy suppose answer dem. No be by argument, or by demanding respect. By to live for di kind way wey people must notice am. Be example for di believers, Paul talk, for wetin you dey talk, for how you dey live, for love, for faith, and for purity. Five areas of life. Every one of dem na something wey young person fit do.

Paul give am practical instructions too. Until I come, give yourself to di public reading of scripture, to encourage people, and to teach. For dat time, most people no get scrolls for house, so to hear dem read di scriptures loud for church matter well well. No neglect di gift wey you get, Paul add, di gift wey dem give you when di elders put dem hands on top you. Think about dis things. Give yourself to dem completely, so dat everybody go see your progress. Watch yourself well, and watch your teaching. Hold am well. If you do so, you go save yourself and di people wey dey hear you. So dem no tell Timothy make e pretend say e old pass im age. Dem tell am make e grow, and make people see am as e dey grow.

Di temple of Artemis for Ephesus na one of di Seven Wonders of di old world. Di Roman writer Pliny di Elder describe am for im book wey dem call Natural History, and e talk about how di temple big well well, and im forest of more than one hundred tall pillars. Di book of Acts write say Paul preaching for Ephesus cause riot among di silversmiths wey dey make small shrines of Artemis.

No let anybody look you down. You go find Paul words to Timothy for First Timothy chapter four, verse six to sixteen. To be young no be reason to hold back. Na chance to show how faith dey look like. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. For which of dis ones, your words, your actions, love, faith or purity, you fit be example dis week?