Be careful little mouth what you say..

We once had a very wise pastor friend that told us that he had so many young people over the years share with him that they wanted to be missionaries. They wanted to go out and light up the world for Jesus. Only a very few actually did. They were discouraged by family and friends who were frightened for their safety and put that fear and discouragement on those young people.

I think there is a reason that so many young people have the desire to be missionaries. They are untainted by the negativity of the world, their faith hasn’t yet been tarnished, and they still have that incredible gift of innocence. As adults we are often very pessimistic about the world, we watch the news and know of the dangers that are in this world. Something even more amazing happens when we become parents, the very things that we used to do as young people and weren’t afraid of are suddenly things we would not even consider letting our children do because of the danger surrounding them.

Somewhere between youth and adulthood something happens to us. Even though we know and read the Great Commission, we know God’s hearts for the lost, the lonely, and the hurting we are so worried about what “could” happen if we go out to reach these people, we let that fear overshadow our faith. And heaven forbid we send our children out “there”!

How many parents, relatives, or friends will stand before God and have Him ask them why they discouraged HIS young people to walk in the plan He had for their lives? How many souls will be lost for all eternity because that young person didn’t go out “there” because they were influenced by our fear?  I for one do not want to stand before the Lord on judgment day and have Him ask me why I stood in the way of His plan for my children’s life.

Even though we are adults I think we can learn a lot from that childhood song…

“Be careful little mouth what you say!”

My mouth shall speak wisdom, And the meditation of my heart shall give understanding.

 Psalm 49:3