In dealing with young people and their future, it is important not to force our desires as adults upon them. Young people need the counsel of those that are older than them, but they need to be taught to seek God’s will from Scripture. The thought of God searching for someone to fill a need is found often in Scripture. Young Samuel was called by God in the Temple. The prophet Isaiah surrendered to God’s will when he saw the greatness of God and the lowliness of himself. Young David took a step of courage and faith when he ran to meet the giant Goliath. Esther was put in the position she was for “such a time as this.” There was a great spiritual need and these people and many others decided to surrender to God and fill that need.
In our churches today, there are many men and women who have sacrificed much to fill a great spiritual need. They have forsaken the comforts of home. They have left family and friends for years at a time. They have taken on the challenges of learning a whole new way of life. They are our missionaries. They are faithful examples of a surrendered life and what God can do with a few that give all to him. The reality is also that many missionaries are coming home for various reasons, never to return to the field. But while many are coming home, few are going back in their place.
So the question for the next generation is simple. Who is next? Who will say, “I want my life to count for something?” There is a generation of teenagers who have the potential and ability to become the next great missionaries. There are teenagers in our churches who desire to have their lives count for something. Will we help them realize the importance of being next? Will we help them understand the need to have a heartbeat for missions—the heartbeat of Christ? A teenager may never be called to go to the field, but they can always be involved. They can write letters of encouragement. They can go on short term missions trips. They can give prayerfully and financially. They can do so many things. So the next time someone asks who is next, there will be several teenagers who can say, “Here am I, send me.”
