It's amazing the amount of apathy that one can find on the average American college campus. These kids go to parties, they put just enough effort into their classes to pass, they never vote, they basically spend their entire lives sliding under the radar, making as little a splash as possible, expending as little energy as possible. "There are other people," they convince themselves, "who can do the world-changing stuff better than I." Or perhaps, they think more along the lines of "I'm only 1 person. What could I possibly do to make a difference??"
But either way, however their internal wheels may be turning, the end result is the same - nothing. The end result, is that there are hundreds of thousands of young people who are totally wasting their talents, gifts, dreams, and ideas. It's tragic, really. It's so easy for young people to convince themselves that they're not qualified, or they don't have enough money or experience, or that their ideas are silly. And so, instead of trying, instead of risking failure.....they do nothing.
I think that's my single favorite thing about being a Fulbrighter. Being a Fulbright scholar has exposed me to a host of truly fascinating, brilliant individuals. And not only are they world travelers, or published authors, or business owners, or popular bloggers, or a host of other wonderful things....they are young. The vast majority of them haven't hit 25 years of age yet. They still have their whole lives ahead of them, but yet they are making the most of now.
It's easy to convince ourselves that we still have plenty of time, and we can do whatever it is that we want to....tomorrow. Always tomorrow. But if you keep waiting until tomorrow, eventually you're going to wake up and realize that you're too old, or too tired, or too busy, or have too many other responsibilities.
That's why I love Paul's letters to Timothy. Timothy was a young man who wasn't afraid to change the world....now. He didn't wait around until someone wiser, stronger, smarter, or richer could help him. He guarded what had been entrusted to his care, and he made the most of it. We all, like Timothy, have been entrusted with great gifts, great passions, greats visions with which we could change the world. Don't waste what you have been given. Don't let your talents and passions grow stagnant and dusty on the unused storage shelves of your souls. Go out and do something. The time is now.
Take on the attitude of one of the characters from the inspiring movie "Amazing Grace," who said it this way: "We are too young to know that certain things are impossible. And so, we will do them anyway." Don't just dream big things. Do big things.
But either way, however their internal wheels may be turning, the end result is the same - nothing. The end result, is that there are hundreds of thousands of young people who are totally wasting their talents, gifts, dreams, and ideas. It's tragic, really. It's so easy for young people to convince themselves that they're not qualified, or they don't have enough money or experience, or that their ideas are silly. And so, instead of trying, instead of risking failure.....they do nothing.
I think that's my single favorite thing about being a Fulbrighter. Being a Fulbright scholar has exposed me to a host of truly fascinating, brilliant individuals. And not only are they world travelers, or published authors, or business owners, or popular bloggers, or a host of other wonderful things....they are young. The vast majority of them haven't hit 25 years of age yet. They still have their whole lives ahead of them, but yet they are making the most of now.
It's easy to convince ourselves that we still have plenty of time, and we can do whatever it is that we want to....tomorrow. Always tomorrow. But if you keep waiting until tomorrow, eventually you're going to wake up and realize that you're too old, or too tired, or too busy, or have too many other responsibilities.
That's why I love Paul's letters to Timothy. Timothy was a young man who wasn't afraid to change the world....now. He didn't wait around until someone wiser, stronger, smarter, or richer could help him. He guarded what had been entrusted to his care, and he made the most of it. We all, like Timothy, have been entrusted with great gifts, great passions, greats visions with which we could change the world. Don't waste what you have been given. Don't let your talents and passions grow stagnant and dusty on the unused storage shelves of your souls. Go out and do something. The time is now.
Take on the attitude of one of the characters from the inspiring movie "Amazing Grace," who said it this way: "We are too young to know that certain things are impossible. And so, we will do them anyway." Don't just dream big things. Do big things.
1 Timothy 6:11-21
11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14 to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which God will bring about in his own time —God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.20 Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, 21 which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith.
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