Youngsters in the Bible

The Heart of a Child

Children and teens have always been instrumental in God's plans, with examples given throughout the Bible. Our children need to be made aware of their uniqueness in God's eyes, as He searches their hearts, not really caring about age, ability, or talents. He then raises up key players to bring forth His perfect plans, based solely upon the love, devotion, and character He sees within a child's heart.

King David, Queen Esther, Moses & Jesus

King David was chosen by God, when he was just a young boy tending his father's sheep, to become the King of Israel. Queen Esther was a foster child who won a beauty contest as a young girl, and soon thereafter became Queen, saving the nation of Israel from extinction.

Baby Moses was chosen at birth to deliver Israel, and bring God's laws, the 10 Commandments, to His people. And Jesus was born to bring God's love and salvation to all people.

These Bible stories are fairly well known, and inspirational to our children, however there are many more scriptural incidences of young children, used by God in some very big ways. Although we don't know their names, God has chosen other children to help perform miracles, and act as testaments to His love and faithfulness.

The Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven

Jesus took a little child and had him stand among the quarreling disciples to demonstrate his speech; stating that "Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." This model child is found in Matthew 18:1-5, Mark 9:33-37, and again in Luke 9:46-48, as they witnessed and recounted the same story.

A Young Boy's Lunch Feeds 5,000

The miracle of Jesus feeding 5,000 of his followers, without any money, very late in the day, and in such a remote area that it was impossible to buy food for everyone, appears in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. But only John mentions that it's a boy's lunch.

John 6:6 tells us that Jesus "already had in mind what he was going to do" (to feed all these people) and that's when "Andrew spoke up (saying) here is a boy with 5 small loaves of barley bread and 2 small fish . . ." which he was willing to share, and gave it all to Jesus.

The eye-witness accounts continue in agreement, that "Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks . . . and he did the same with the fish." Jesus blessed this boy's lunch, everyone ate as much as they wanted, and when everyone was finished, there were 12 baskets full of food left over (John 6:5-14)!

Lessons for Rebellious Teens

A gang of 42 bullies in 2nd Kings (2Kings 2:23,24) taunted the prophet Elisha, while he innocently walked along the side of the road, twice calling him a "baldhead" (hoping to start a fight). Outnumbered, Elisha cursed them in the Lord's name.

God sent 2 bears to chase them away, maul, and kill every one of the gang members. God's sound warning and advice for teens not to join gangs, nor taunt God's people, whom the Lord loves and protects, or suffer the consequences.

The first thought that came to mind upon reading this passage was the gang scene in the Jim Carey movie "Bruce Almighty", where "Bruce" gets beaten up by a gang. Although the gang members were spared, they were forced to endure torture by a monkey, and a swarm of bees, to consider the error of their ways.

Biblical Answers for Today's Youth

The Bible holds the answers for our struggling youth. Words of wisdom for teens are found throughout the book of Proverbs, 2nd Timothy 2:22, and in Psalm 119:9-11, asking "How can a young man keep his way pure?" The Psalm continues, by answering the question posed, in verses 10 and 11.

A final scriptural word of encouragement for our youth is found in the New Testament, in the New International Version of the Bible, as 1st Timothy 4:12 says; "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." God has big plans for all His young children!