The modern world measures a person’s worth on the basis of what he has rather than what he is. To put it simply, it measures a person in the 3B scale- – Beauty, Brain and Bucks. It is a pity to note that even Christians fall into this worldly trap. Our God wants his children to be counter-revolutionaries presenting the kingdom values to the world around us. We are called to be salt and light of the world. Our way of life should be radically different from that of non-Christians. In order to make a difference and impact in the world around us, we should take a stand for the Lord and need to evaluate our life and values from the perspective of God’s word.
- Beauty
Contemporary world is crazy after beauty, charisma and charm. Beauty is adored, worshipped andhonoured in the society. Young people seek fair girls and boys as marriage partners and mothers wish to deliver fair babies. Present day styles as advertised by the mass-media exert a tremendous influence on youth. In this context, how do Christians fare? `The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart’ (I Sam. 16:7). God is not swayed by the beauty or attractiveness or charm of a person. Apostle Peter stresses that we should desire the unfading inner beauty of gentleness and quiet spirit which is of great worth in God’s sight (I Peter3: 3, 4). In the Bible, fear of the Lord is more valued than charm which is deceptive and beauty which is fleeting (Pro. 31:30). Beauty is temporary, relative and perishable. Young people must regard godliness, fear of the Lord, holiness and noble character more than the outward appearance. It is not how much you impressed others with your outward beauty but how much you impacted others with your inner beauty that really counts in heaven.
- Brain
Intelligence is highly regarded in the society in this era of information technology. `Information is power’ is the slogan of today’s world. Unfortunately, wisdom is neglected in the modern vocabulary. The present generation is more informed than the previous generation, but not wise as they were. The modern world says, `blessed is the man who is informed.’ But the Bible says `blessed is the man who finds wisdom’(Pro. 3:13). True wisdomis found only in the Lord. He is the fountain of all wisdom (Col 2:3) and he gives that to all who fearhim (Ps. 111:10; Pro. 1:7; 9:10).Reading andmeditating God’s word will make us wiser than others in the world (Psalm 119:98-100). Most of the criminals and terrorists are well-educated and earned medals for their outstanding performances in their colleges. They were taught knowledge, and not values. Albert Einstein once said, `try not to become a person of success but rather a person of value.’ Eternal values such as honesty, sincerity, faithfulness and integrity are dwindling among Christians. We should learn and practice these values and principles in life. This alone will pay us eternal dividends. Knowledge may open doors of opportunities down here; but without the saving knowledge in Christ, one will be stopped at heaven’s door and shown the door opposite. Young people should strive to blend secular knowledge with God’s love, skills with responsibility and understanding with character. Billy Graham has said that true wisdom is to know and do the will of God. It is not how much we are informed that matters in heaven but how much we have inspired others with our godly values.
- Bucks
Today the worth of a person is determined by his wealth and capacity to earn. This is based on the misconception that having more will make one more happy, more important and more secure, but all these ideas are untrue. Wealth can provide only temporary happiness. It can be lost instantly through a variety of uncontrollable factors. Today’s young people are building their lives on the rock of materialism. Money is essential for living, but should not become our goal for living. Jesus said, `You cannot serve God and Money.” (Matt.6:24). Possessions should not possess us. Paul warns that the love of money is the first step toward all kinds of sin (I Tim.6:10 LB). Christians must remember that we are not owners but stewards of money. Learning to give and live with contentment will release us from the trap of Mammon (Acts 20:35; I Tim.6:10). When we follow the Lord faithfully and seek His kingdom and righteousness, He has promised to grant us all the essential earthly provisions without fail (Matt. 6:33; Ps 23:6). We should always bear in mind that our worth is not determined by our wealth and our value byour valuables. We are redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ and our citizenship is in heaven. We should use our money to help spread the gospel, and the people who receive Christ will be our friends forever and will greet us when we enter heaven (Luke 16:9). Always remember that we will be rewarded not for how much wealth we have increased but for how much we have invested in heaven.
The youth of today are desperately looking for role-models. Failing to spot one in their immediate Christendom, they turn to the world. If every parent and believer could boldly declare with St. Paul, `Follow my example just as I follow the example of Christ (I Cor. 11:1), then the youngsters in our churches will create a Christian counter-culture by living out the kingdom principles and values.
