Don't look down on me

[Christ's Free Servant]

Tess, I sincerely hope I have never treated you with anything but the respect you deserve, if I have failed you please accept my humble apologies!

You seem to be extremely articulate and well versed in everything you post and I have never worried about your age when reading anything you've written.

Please stay the course, do your best to ignore those that slight you because of your age, lean on those that love and delight in your presence here!

God bless and keep you!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sounds good!!

I remember when I was young... no, this is not going to be one of those "when I was a girl" stories, or maybe it is. Anyway, I had a pastor tell me that I was too young to be speaking the word of God with such boldness and with such authority. He told me to wait until I had gray hairs on my head, and then people would listen. Well, I'm 55 now, and I am just now getting gray hairs on my head, and you know what I am finding now in society, and in the church, too, is that people don't want to hear you, because you are too old. You are a throw away in our society now once you are over 40. Respect for the elderly hardly exists anymore. People just want to be entertained, and - I know this is going to come as a shock to some of you - I am just not that entertaining! But, if someone is serious about their walk with the Lord and they need some counsel on how to grow in their faith or if they need someone to care because they are hurting and are in need of comfort, then I'll be there. I'm just so glad that God doesn't choose us based upon man's criteria for who is valuable or not valuable. Aren't you??

[ann2]

Tess,my girl when you first came on the board and i did not know your age,i thought to my self "now that is a wise and knowledgeable woman". When i learned that you were just a girl i was floored.You have taught me things i didnt know or had really never thought of,you are wise beyond your years.Press on for the Lord ,Tess and He will be by your side.

Much love in Christ Ann2

[WayneB]

Tess, I sincerely hope I have never treated you with anything but the respect you deserve, if I have failed you please accept my humble apologies!

You seem to be extremely articulate and well versed in everything you post and I have never worried about your age when reading anything you've written.

Please stay the course, do your best to ignore those that slight you because of your age, lean on those that love and delight in your presence here!

God bless and keep you!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sounds good!!

I remember when I was young... no, this is not going to be one of those "when I was a girl" stories, or maybe it is. Anyway, I had a pastor tell me that I was too young to be speaking the word of God with such boldness and with such authority. He told me to wait until I had gray hairs on my head, and then people would listen. Well, I'm 55 now, and I am just now getting gray hairs on my head, and you know what I am finding now in society, and in the church, too, is that people don't want to hear you, because you are too old. You are a throw away in our society now once you are over 40. Respect for the elderly hardly exists anymore. People just want to be entertained, and - I know this is going to come as a shock to some of you - I am just not that entertaining! But, if someone is serious about their walk with the Lord and they need some counsel on how to grow in their faith or if they need someone to care because they are hurting and are in need of comfort, then I'll be there. I'm just so glad that God doesn't choose us based upon man's criteria for who is valuable or not valuable. Aren't you??

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I resemble your remarks... (all except the "when I was a girl" remark )

Seriously Tess, Sue makes an excellent point here. People will find a reason for not wanting to receive sound advice or wise insights from another person. Most often, they use age... "Ah, they're too young" or "Ah, they're too old". Think about it. So like Sue, I have learned to offer my insights when asked and when I am rejected? Oh well. I tried.

[Guest NewPilgrim]

Great thread, important topic

Although I'm 30, I am only 2 years old in the Lord and I found that the same prejudice applies to spiritual youth as well as physical youth.

Less than a year after I was saved I started spending a lot of time with a church member who was generally considered to be a "spiritual trouble-maker" and was often accused of "divisiveness" under muttered breath. Nevertheless I found him to be a great teacher, despite the fact that I didnt agree with some of his methodology.

A church elder wrote a letter of concern to our Pastor, saying that this church member was leading me astray and was a bad influence on me. He had never approached me about the issue, nor had he addressed the issue with the member in question. Even in my spiritual youth, I knew that this was not the way to conduct such a matter.

More encouraging was the fact that while this member had shared some wonderul scriptural insight with me, he had found my spiritual counsil to bea positive influence on him and in response to my council and sometimes even correction he made considerable effort to apologise to and reconcile himself with the elders of issues that arose between them.

The great Irony is that the "trouble-maker" saw God's wisdom in such a "young" christian and accredited it to God, when the eldership did not.

While it is generally the case that the spiritually young are also spiritually immature, it is not ALWAYS the case and it would be negligent of us to write off our "young ones" be they physically or spiritually young.

That said.....I do worry about Fisher of men, he seems to be victim of some pretty twisted doctrine and I for one feel the need to apologise to him, I've been a little harsh with him at times. Fisher, I'm sorry for being short with you, I hope we can all give you the spiritual guidance and nourishment you need.

Edited June 29, 2005 by NewPilgrim

[Christ's Free Servant]

Great thread, important topic

Although I'm 30, I am only 2 years old in the Lord and I found that the same prejudice applies to spiritual youth as well as physical youth.

Less than a year after I was saved I started spending a lot of time with a church member who was generally considered to be a "spiritual trouble-maker" and was often accused of "divisiveness" under muttered breath.  Nevertheless I found him to be a great teacher, despite the fact that I didnt agree with some of his methodology.

A church elder wrote a letter of concern to our Pastor, saying that this church member was leading me astray and was a bad influence on me.  He had never approached me about the issue, nor had he addressed the issue with the member in question.  Even in my spiritual youth, I knew that this was not the way to conduct such a matter.

More encouraging was the fact that while this member had shared some wonderul scriptural insight with me, he had found my spiritual counsil to bea positive influence on him and in response to my council and sometimes even correction he made considerable effort to apologise to and reconcile himself with the elders of issues that arose between them.

The great Irony is that the "trouble-maker" saw God's wisdom in such a "young" christian and accredited it to God, when the eldership did not.

While it is generally the case that the spiritually young are also spiritually immature, it is not ALWAYS the case and it would be negligent of us to write off our "young ones" be they physically or spiritually young.

That said.....I do worry about Fisher of men, he seems to be victim of some pretty twisted doctrine and I for one feel the need to apologise to him, I've been a little harsh with him at times.  I hope we can all give him the spiritual guidance and nourishment he needs.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

NewPilgrim,

The story you just told happens more times than I would like to admit. I was considered a "trouble-maker" of sorts, too, and I wasn't doing anything wrong. I was young, and a woman to boot, and many religious leaders were threatened by me or just did not understand me. I was told that since I desired to serve God so much that I must be wanting to do it for the wrong reasons - afterall, when they wanted to serve God it was for the wrong reasons, so they assumed everyone was like them. But, I'm not! I honestly and sincerely just wanted to obey God and serve him with all my heart. I was told that I should not volunteer for service, but that I should just sit in the back of the church and wait until someone calls me. But, this was after the pastor gave such a tremendous plea in his sermon for us to obey God by using our Spiritual gifts. I was told that because I spoke more in public Bible discussions than did my husband, that meant I was unsubmissive to his authority. Who says? I have always been submissive to my husband. He was struggling spiritually at the time and did not want to talk. I had just spent 9 months on my back with a really bad pregnancy and I had all kinds of time in God's word and was just busting at the seams to share what God had been teaching me. I was told I came across too much like I had it all together. But, then we moved, and at the next church, they told me I came across like I did not have it all together. In both churches they would not afford me the opportunity to use my spiritual gifts. I was told I should not say things like "God showed me," or "God told me," and that I think I have this direct line with God, but I don't. Funny, I thought we all had that direct line with God through our high priest, Jesus Christ, and that God's word is ALIVE and active and is able to divide the something of the heart. God's word speaks and when it speaks, it is God speaking to me, so "God did tell me!"

And, the list goes on. If I told you all that has been said to me by religious leaders you would wonder why I ever stayed in a church. Well, it wasn't for them. It was out of obedience to God. Even though man rejected me, Christ received me, and not only did he receive me, but he made me the way that I am. I was the outcast in many churches because I was obeying God in following him with all my heart and since they did not understand me, they misjudged me.

So, my husband and I began a ministry to the hurting, to the rejected, to the oppressed, to the forgotten and the lonely and the mistreated and the misunderstood - kind of like Jesus' disciples. These are the "outcasts" of a lot of our churches, but here they are accepted and loved and welcomed with open arms. The name of the ministry is "This Space Available."

So, when people judge you falsely or look down on you or mistreat you, turn it around for good. Grow through it and reach out to others who have been mistreated and have been forsaken and forgotten. I am who I am because God made me who I am and because of the experiences of my life. God allowed each one of those church experiences to help mold me into the person he created me to be.

[Guest NewPilgrim]

I'm always taken aback when people exclaim "You seem to think you have some sort of hot-line to God!" I do! and He is called "comforter" and "Spirit of Truth"

CFS you're so right, many people feel threatened when God shows wisdom through a "subordinate" figure. I for one consider all wisdom a blessing, whither shal it come

As has already been acknowledged on the thread, young ones like Tess are a testament to the limitlessness of Gods grace and authority, if anything we should be blessed even more so when wisdom comes from them. Even Sonbeam has taught me a few things

[Christ's Free Servant]

I'm always taken aback when people exclaim "You seem to think you have some sort of hot-line to God!"  I do!  and He is called "comforter" and "Spirit of Truth"

CFS you're so right, many people feel threatened when God shows wisdom through a "subordinate" figure.  I for one consider all wisdom a blessing, whither shal it come

As has already been acknowledged on the thread, young ones like Tess are a testament to the limitlessness of Gods grace and authority, if anything we should be blessed even more so when wisdom comes from them.  Even Sonbeam has taught me a few things

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

"But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things

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