You know siblings, I’m not always a fan of David. At times, I think of some of his really bad decisions, and I get infuriated all over again. But this psalm we’ve been reflecting on has definitely reminded me of why God sees David differently. He loved God passionately. Not only did David choose to see God at work in every life situation, but he also sang about his experiences of God. That’s the source of many of the psalms we read and recite. He was infectious in his praise and was intentional about passing on his love for God to the next generation. Consider Today’s Holy Nougat, for example
Psalms 34:11 NIV
[11] Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
Passing The Faith On
As the mother of many, I am heartened by David’s invitation to the next generation. For, in his words, I see and hear confirmation that mentoring is a necessary part of faith formation. This is especially the case for youth mentorship and support, not only in our homes, but in our schools and churches.
Conscious of his influential status, David opted to make lemonade from life’s lemons and share it with others in his sphere of influence. This is a trait we could also emulate. Kudos to those who already do. We recall Y’shua’s impassioned call, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but we have a labour shortage.’ That places the onus on you and me to do something about it.
Self-Check
Are we actively engaged in sharing and mentoring others in our faith? How so?
Application
Siblings, there are far too many ways for us to engage youth in our time. The dearth of positive role models presents us with opportunities to take David’s approach. We can also choose to teach and mentor others in the fear of the Lord. It’s not my forte, you might argue. That may well be true. However, I’d remind us that there’s a plethora of material offering guidance on Christian Education. We only need to be motivated enough to access it.
Further, and perhaps even more importantly, we have a call to live our faith loudly. When the youth see our response to Life’s Lifing, they learn how to respond. Despite the setback he faced, David chose to praise God. The youth saw that. They would also have seen his indiscretions as well as his repentant heart, which would serve to underscore his passion for God. The youth also saw that.
What do others, particularly the youth in our lives, learn about God when they observe how we face adversity? Do our actions align with what we regularly profess? A colleague in ministry, Rev Wendell McCoy uses the tag-line, ‘God must get all the glory’. With that, he capitalises on every opportunity to praise God and testify to God’s goodness – even in adversity. It can be equally simple for us. We can also determine that we will mentor others so that God gets all the glory.
Point to Ponder
What do we need to do to improve the way we share our faith? By God’s grace, let’s start incorporating the changes in our lives.
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May all we seek be found in Christ
