Young people, work hard--with joy!

Joshua Harris, pastor of Covenant Life Church in MD, wrote a letter to a thirteen year old boy on his birthday, part of which has been made public. Here is great advice for teenagers! In an entertainment drenched, consumer-driven teenage culture, these words are precious gems like the proverbs of old.

"My encouragement to you on this important birthday is to work hard. That doesn’t sound very inspiring does it? But I mean it. The teenage years are years packed with potential—potential to grow in wisdom, to develop practical skills and abilities, to deepen your relationship with God, to study and learn. These years are the launching pad of your life. And they’re also the years that are most easily wasted. The world will tell you that these are the years to coast, to have a good time, to take it easy, to live off the faith of your parents. Don’t buy that lie. Press ahead. Push yourself. Train yourself for godliness. Even now prepare yourself to be a godly man, a godly husband and godly father."

Now we must not only work hard, but we must work hard with joy! This is a challenge to young people and adults! As Charles Spurgeon says, “Moreover, labor is easy to those of a cheerful spirit; success waits on cheerfulness. The ones who work while rejoicing in God and believing with all their hearts have success guaranteed.”

C. J. Mahaney notes, "My challenge each day is not so much working hard, but cheerfully working hard. If I understand Scripture accurately, I will not glorify God simply by working hard. To truly bring Him honor, I must labor with a cheerful spirit. Therefore, I must not only serve my family each day, but I must serve them with joy. I must not only prepare a sermon, I must do it cheerfully. I must not only labor faithfully in the church, I must do so happily. Merely working hard is not sufficient. It must be done with gladness. It is for my good and His glory that God has given this sweet command, ‘Serve the Lord with gladness” (Psalm 100:2)."

So, here is a challenge to young people who want to live for God and not waste their lives. In your teenage years, work hard with joy for God!