Young & Stupid
I’m not going to name names other than myself but I do agree with the fact that when we are young, we do stupid things. We certainly say stupid things as well. I remember a stupid thing I did while in High School and I’m embarrassed to think I could get away with it. I remember one incident where I concocted this huge story to cover myself only to later find out my Dad really didn’t believe my story. I’ve got plenty of stories about being young and stupid. In my house, stupid is an “s” word that I don’t use to describe others. I feel freedom to call my-myself out for sure. I also feel freedom to describe certain behavior as stupid. It is not my intent to label someone who exhibits stupid behavior as “stupid”. It’s mostly ignorance – that’s a safer call – LOL!
I wouldn’t mind being 20 years old again, but only if I could know what I know now about life and about the Lord.
Israel & Judah’s history is full of very young (and stupid acting at times) kings. The one I read about this morning was 20 years old when he became king. Check this out….
1 In the seventeenth year of Pekah son of Remaliah, Ahaz son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign. 2 Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. Unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord his God. 3 He followed the ways of the kings of Israel and even sacrificed his son in the fire, engaging in the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites. 4 He offered sacrifices and burned incense at the high places, on the hilltops and under every spreading tree. (2 Kings 16:1-4 NIV)
I did a little history study to find some young kings throughout more recent history. King Henry VI was one of the youngest at 8 Months old. It’s obvious that he couldn’t do much as king at that age, but his mother and those around him could certainly help. I can only imagine as he became a teenager and adolescent thinking set it – what kind of king was he then.
This young man Ahaz really disobeyed profoundly where the Lord wanted to take this nation of Judah. He didn’t follow any instructions from his Dad who was king. He obviously was “smarter than everyone else”. I can imagine that older people were afraid of a king so young and impulsive.
As if reflected on what it would be like to be 20 again, I realize that this is foolishness – I’m getting older not younger. If I can get any 20 year olds to listen, I would remind them to seek counsel from older and wiser people. One older gentlemen told me one time, “I don’t know all the things that will work, but I know a lot of things that won’t work because I’ve tried them!”
I was also reminded that even though I’m over 50, I still desperately need wise counsel even today. I’m learning to talk to the Lord about everything. There are situations that I face in life all along the way that I’ve needed help with. When I was young and stupid, I thought I knew how to handle all of that. I’m finally wising up and learning to listen and ask great questions. There’s more wisdom in asking great questions – it will keep me from being a “know-it-all”. It could also prevent me from being “old and stupid”!
Pressing On!
Dwayne