Single In Time

Truth Can Come From Any Vessel

Age knows no boundaries when it comes to giving and receiving wisdom and encouragement. But are we willing to hear and give godly advice when it involves people in a different age group?

In the book of Exodus, Moses’ father-in-law Jethro comes to visit him. Jethro observed how Moses spent the entire day listening to the people of Israel.

What you are doing is not good. You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone. Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! // Exodus 18:17b – 19a

Jethro instructs Moses on how to organize his time and his efforts to serve God and the people of Israel better. And how does Moses respond?

Verse 24 says: “So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he said.”

Moses humbly accepted the advice. An older person took the courage to point out in a loving way a mistake in a younger person’s life. And the younger person accepted the criticism and in a humble spirit made the corrective change. Even a great leader like Moses could not recognize a problem in his own life.

The older advising the younger is reversed when David, a young shepherd, says to Saul concerning Goliath: “Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”

It seems hopeless. A shepherd boy against a giant. But the older Saul later replies to David: “Go, and the LORD be with you.”

When God puts something on a young man’s heart, he should be encouraged to go forward in humility and strength.

Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. // 1 Timothy 4:12

As a man who was single, Paul provided God’s wisdom to older people, younger people and even married people. His being single did not exclude him from speaking into people’s lives whose marital situations and age were different than his own.

It should serve as a reminder to us that God speaks truth through the vessel He chooses.

In His providence and wisdom God uses us to speak into people’s lives, and He also uses others to speak into our lives. Are we humble enough to listen, and are we bold enough to speak, even when it is between different age groups?

One of the dangers of individualism is that we can contain our lives and even church life within our own age groups. The generational togetherness can get broken down—to everyone’s detriment.

But different age groups can be a blessing through the different perspectives God gives.

Younger people like David can be used by God to break through with a new perspective. Older people like Jethro can be used by God to see danger and point the way through. And we can grow together as we see the blessings God provides through us throughout our years.

/ PAUL BOGE is the author of Father to the Fatherless: The Charles Mulli Story and five other books. He is single and works as an engineer in Winnipeg.