"Let no man despise thy youth: but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity."

Here we see that young people could and should be an example. Even though they are still unmarried, their lives should be such that they are not despised, but respected. Even before your elders, your lives should be of such quality that they respect what you say and do.

Know that when you cause shame, it is not just on earth, but also in heaven that your shame is exposed and seen. Not long ago there was an African American that told the following story of her youth, just after conversion. As she started to wear dresses again, she was walking to church one day and another lady stopped her and said, 'my girl, you are so pretty from the front'. Astonished she asked, 'from the front, what do you mean'. At the back she had a long slit in her dress right up. Then the other answered, 'my girl, saints don't wear such dresses'. And how true that is not. You need to be an example also in your dress, lest you as a lady arouse the lusts in men through your dress.

So a Christian need to be a role-model to all nations and religions, whether it be Hindu, Muslim or whatever, let them respect your faith. Take king David as an example. He was a great man and beloved of God. But he sinned grievously and was also punished severely by God, because he gave the enemies of God occasion to blaspheme His Name by his sin.

A few years ago two distinguished looking men from the Department of Justice came to our school. There were young men in the justice department that just baffled the people where they worked with their faithfulness and quality. The first one was in Pietermarizburg. Another was from Weenen, another from Eshowe, and also one from Durban. There were four or five of them. The reports of these young men came to the ears of the Department of Justice in Pretoria. Those from Pretoria then asked each sub-department to do research and find out where they studied. After research they found that each of them studied at Domino Servite school, at KwaSizabantu. They then decided to come and pay a visit to DSS without making an appointment so that they can see exactly how it is, without any preparation. So they were taken to the secondary school where the children were assembled. They then told the children that they are not recruiting for the Department of Justice, but that if any of them want jobs, they will give it to them and finance their further education. At the end the young people sang a song, 'They took the hands of Jesus, they nailed Him to the cross ...'. And as the children were singing about Christ and Him being taken to the cross, the leading person from the Department said, 'Now I know your secret in producing young people of this quality.'
In the church and in the work of the Lord we need young people of this quality and faithfulness. And there is no work so important and rewarding as spreading and preaching the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, that they may be as Moses, spurning the pleasures and glitter of this world, and looking to the things eternal and of true value.

There's a story of a Persian king of old whose prime minister was a Jew. These two were great friends, but somehow something came in between, and the king wanted to get rid of his prime minister. The prime minister, however, was beloved of the whole nation, and so it was difficult for the king to get rid of him. So he consulted with his chief advisors and said, 'What can I do to get rid of my prime minister, as the nation love him. I cannot just dismiss him, as the nation will condemn me. After all, a king is only a king if held in respect by his people.' But his advisors said, 'Don't worry about them, we support you, get rid of him.' So he thought of a plan and called the prime minister, saying, 'I have my faithful dog here. I give you one year to get it to speak.' But the prime minister was not disturbed at all. He was quite calm until all the time passed. On the final day, the king called him and asked him if the dog can talk. The prime minister answered him, 'Your majesty, the dog talks non-stop. Unfortunately, it talks about all your visits to brothels etc. wherever you went with it.' The king was horrified and said, 'Let the dog be executed immediately.' 'I have seen to it before I entered here', answered the prime minister.

May we not be like this king, who was so afraid when the dog started to speak about all his sins. If there's skeletons in your own life, even from long ago, bring it to the light of the cross that it be dealt with.

In our text it says that we ought to be an example to the believers. Not to the heathen, but the believers. Christians need to see this example, as so many wander in circles and darkness. The greatest hindrance to the spreading of the gospel today is not done by the communists, Muslims or socialists, but by so-called Christians. You need to be an example to them to show them the way.

Lastly, give attendance to the study of the word. Many Christians do not grow in their spiritual life, because they do not study God's Word. In another place Paul asks them to bring his cloak and parchments. He always studied God's Word. And so you too need to study God's Word and grow thereby.