You Are Not Too Young!

Jeremiah 1:7-9

“⁷ The Lord replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. ⁸ And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!” ⁹ Then the Lord reached out and touched my mouth and said,

“Look, I have put my words in your mouth!”

“You’re doing it wrong!” I think I’ve heard this a thousand times, whether from my brother, my mother, or co-workers. Before the phrase rolls off someone’s tongue, they must first perceive something being done incorrectly. Funny home videos of people falling off ladders, stepping through ceilings, or fixing something the wrong way are often followed by the phrase, “You’re doing it wrong.” For me, when this phrase comes from a child much younger than I am, it’s one of the most offensive things I can hear. It feels like they think they know more than I do. And sometimes, they were right.

Jeremiah is often called the weeping prophet. He earned this title because he witnessed the exile of the Israelites to Babylon. The Lord came to him as a young man to inform him that he was a prophet. Before he died, he would see his very own countrymen led into captivity by a pagan Babylonian king named Nebuchadnezzar. The weeping part of his life began when the Lord repeatedly told the Israelites to turn from their wicked ways, and Jeremiah witnessed their stubborn rebellion. It must have been heartbreaking for him to see his warnings fall on deaf ears and closed hearts, knowing that the Lord was about to send everyone into exile to teach them a lesson.

I often wonder if I could have stood up and said what Jeremiah said. Could I have continued to deliver God’s message, no matter how harsh it sounded? Would I have caved under the weight of persecution, or relented when my own suffering became the object of the people’s resistance?

Jeremiah not only knew Israel’s history but was also aware of how they treated God’s prophets. That’s why God’s words to him in Jeremiah 1:4-5 come as a shock to most of us. God Almighty tells Jeremiah that He formed him in his mother’s womb, knew him, and set him apart as a prophet. Despite this incredible calling, Jeremiah must have instantly recalled the fate of previous prophets. I can imagine the fear and sense of being overwhelmed that came over him as he processed this. But the Lord quickly interrupted his thoughts with His reassurance in verse 8: “Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

Do we have what it takes to do what the Holy Spirit tells us to do? Do we shrink back into the shadows, disobeying God’s prompting? Have you ever felt nudged by the Holy Spirit to pray for someone—a stranger, a family member, or your own child—and ignored it? If so, you’re not alone. We’ve all failed at times to obey the Lord’s instruction.

The truth is, the gospel is offensive to the world. Jesus said in John 15:18-25:

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also…”

Satan doesn’t stop his campaign of evil just because you became a Christian. In fact, choosing Christ paints a target on your back. But take heart John 16:33 reminds us of this truth:

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Revelation assures us that we win, and Satan loses. Jesus’ victory on the cross sealed the enemy’s defeat. We walk in victory, not defeat. We walk by faith, not by sight. The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in us. We’ve been given spiritual armor to fight the good fight and reclaim the ground the enemy has stolen.

Even though Jeremiah was a young man when he was called, the strength he had in God was more than enough. Without Christ, we are doing it wrong. But with Christ, we have everything we need to stand firm and fight the good fight.

Prayer: Father, give us the boldness to proclaim the truth of Your Word and to call out sin. Help us to be both grace and truth to those around us. I pray that we walk in the victory You gave us on the cross. Let us not cower in fear but stand boldly, like Jeremiah, in the face of opposition. In Jesus’ name, amen.