A Call To Obedience

In last week’s edition, some of the elders in the ministry gave the youth encouragement, and there was a call to obedience. Ephesians 6:1–3 says, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.”

The Bible does not say, “Children, obey your parents only when you agree with them.” It says, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord.” Obedience is not always easy. Sometimes we may think, “My parents don’t understand me,” or “Why can’t I do what my friends are doing?” But God has given your parents the responsibility to guide, protect, correct and teach their children the right way.

Obedience is God’s command

1 Samuel 15:22 says, “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice.” Obedience is not always easy, especially when you are young. There will be times when you are asked to do something you don’t want to do. Your parents may give you instructions, teachers may set rules, and God gives us commands through His word. The big question is: what will you do when you don’t feel like obeying?

Obedience is choosing to do what is right, even when it is difficult, unpopular or inconvenient. For a Christian young person, obedience is not simply about following rules. It is about trusting God enough to follow His way.

Obedience shows that we love God

Jesus said in John 14:15, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” We often say that we love God, but our actions should demonstrate that love. If you love God, you will want to please Him, you will care about what His word says, and you will make choices based not only on what feels good but on what is right.

Sometimes God asks us to do things that we don’t fully understand. But obedience requires us to trust that God knows what is best for us. You don’t need to understand everything before you obey God. Think about the GPS in a vehicle: when it tells you to turn, you turn and follow what it says. You don’t need to understand the entire road system. You simply trust the directions. In the same way, God sees the whole picture when we only see today.

“I’ll do it later”

One of the biggest challenges for young people today is saying, “I’ll do it later.” God tells us to forgive, but we say, “Later.” God tells us to be honest, but we think, “I’ll tell the truth next time.” God tells us to avoid temptation, but we say, “Just this once.” The longer we delay doing what is right, the easier it becomes to disobey. When you know what God wants you to do, don’t keep putting it off. Have faith and trust in God.

Obedience is not always comfortable. It may mean saying no when everyone else says yes, apologising when you think you’re right, forgiving someone who hurt you, walking away from temptation, listening to your parents, or choosing God’s way when your friends choose another way. But obedience is worth it. When you obey God, you are trusting His wisdom, honouring His word, and choosing His purpose for your life. So don’t wait until you are older. Choose to have faith in God and obey Him today.

Don’t just be hearers of God’s word; be doers. Trust it, do it, and live it. James 1:22 says, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only.”