Elephants are crazy strong. They can haul considerable loads, uproot stumps, and even knock over trees! Some countries hold elephant festivals where these massive creatures dance, paint, and even play tug of war against 100 men, and WIN!
Did you know that these enormous animals can be rendered immovable by something as small as twine wrapped around its leg and tied to a tent peg? That’s right, a small piece of rope or twine can stop one of these present day mammoths. But why?
Turns out, when an elephant is a baby, they shackle it with chains around one hind leg. With all its might, the baby elephant tries to break free, but it can’t, and eventually admits defeat. For the rest of that elephant’s life, it believes that there is no breaking those chains, and so trainers need only to tie a small rope around that same leg, and Presto! The elephant stays put.
Have you ever considered that you as a teenager might be like these elephants? God has created you to do amazing things. You are talented, creative, smart, and crazy strong. Yet because you’re a “teenager,” society expects you to do teenager things, like be awesome at any video game, be wizards in all forms of technology, eat lots of junk food, and update your status on facebook hundreds of times a day. It seems that “growing up” is expected after high school, or once you’re out on your own, or some obscure place down the road.
But are you ready now? What holds you back from taking on responsibility? Why don’t you learn now, how to be an adult? Why not learn to be the best husband or wife, father or mother, business owner, or even live out your faith? No one really expects you to, do they?
In Titus 2:6-8 God charges us as YOUNG men to be sensible in all things, and to be an example of good deeds. Did you catch that? WE are the example! Not the older men and women. What kind of example are you setting for the elders to follow? He expects us to be pure in our teaching. (Do you know what you believe? Can you teach it?) We are to be dignified, and sound in speech.
I’m throwing out a challenge here. Raise your expectations for yourself… not because an “adult” tells you to, but because God created you to. Bust out of the invisible shackles that hold you in place. The twine holds the giant elephant, yet it’s all in his mind. Is it in yours?
