To James, on the occasion of your 14th birthday:
To gain a heart of wisdom, says the psalmist, is to learn how to number our days (Ps. 90:12). What does this mean? It is to remember who we are in relation to who God is. God is eternal, unchanging, and all-powerful. We are momentary, transient, and finite.
While some may interpret the words of Psalm 90 as pessimism, I believe them to be sobering words of realism. I’ve often struggled with pessimism, and others I know and love are hopelessly optimistic. But realism is, I believe, the most wise way to live your life. It is to live in the light of truth. And the truth is that you are dust, and to dust you will return. Remembering this is the path to wisdom.
But you are also immortal. Do you know the phrase “Y.O.L.O.” (you only live once)? It’s ironic to me that it’s often used to justify dangerous or otherwise foolish actions. If you really believe that you have only one life, why would you be so careless with it? But the Bible actually says “Y.O.L.T.” (you only live twice). Both unbelievers and believers will be raised from the dead when Jesus returns. Believers will be raised to life. Unbelievers will be raised to judgment. This is why what we do with our lives now really does matter.
When you know and love Christ, life forever with him is your eternal destiny. When you remember this, you can be both serious and merry. The hardest seasons of your life will not last forever, despite how it feels. You must fight to remember this. God is everlasting, and he is your dwelling place. Your eternal home. To dwell with God is to live in a place of perfect safety, joy, rest, peace, and love. You may be mortal, but nothing can truly hurt you. You may be made of the dust of earth, but as a child of God you are destined for the glories of heaven. Realism doesn’t sound so bad after all.
We live in a world that values self-awareness, self-improvement, self-promotion, self-help, etc. We live in this world, but we are not of this world. Self-denial is the call of Christ: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23) What’s more, Christ also calls you to love Him supremely, and others sacrificially, as Jesus summed up the Law and the prophets in Matthew 22:37-40.
Deny yourself, follow Jesus. Love God, love others. These are some of the best words of wisdom I can pass along to you. They aren’t original, but some of the best things never are. If you live this way—God’s way—you will never regret it.
Everyone wants to make their mark on the world, to make a difference. But remember, God created the world, and you, to glorify himself. The mark that you are to make on the world is not your own. It is the mark of Christ. Human beings are created in the image of God. We were created to reflect God in the world, like the moon reflects the sun. And Christ is the image of the invisible God (Col. 1:15), to whose image you are being conformed (Rom. 8:29).
While you are absolutely unique, you don’t have to try to make some unique difference in the world. You’re called to make the same difference as every other Christian that has lived before you and will live after you. That’s incredibly freeing, isn’t it? You will do that in your own unique way, that’s true. But as you live for Christ and His kingdom, you need not worry if your life counts for anything. It does. Achievements are great. Education is a gift. Everyone wants to feel accomplished and celebrated and valued, but you have all of that already in Christ. You already have an inheritance that is unmatched in heaven. No glory on earth will compare with the glory you will one day share with Christ. So don’t put too much pressure on yourself.
At the same time, I would encourage you not to float aimlessly through life with no purpose or intentionality. God has given each of us unique gifts and personalities with which we are to serve his purposes, and make his mark on the world. We are to steward these gifts wisely and well, not squandering or burying them, but employing them in Christ’s service.
Think about what God has given you. About who he has made you to be. And consider how your gifts, skills, and experiences can glorify God and bless the world. Then commit yourself to action. We are called to make an effort in the Christian life—not in order to earn something from God but to please God as those who already has right standing in Christ. We are called to faithfully use what God has given us to give Him glory (Matt. 25:14-30).
Every birthday is a milestone, another year of life passed and another year of life ahead. There will be both joy and sadness in this next year. You will learn. You will grow. You will be tempted. You will sin. You will be sinned against. You will probably waste time. There’s grace and forgiveness for your failures and weakness in Christ. There’s real strength to fight sin in the Holy Spirit who lives within you. When you struggle or fail, ask God for forgiveness and strength, and keep pressing forward.
I could give you a long list of much more practical things to do, think, or say that could be helpful and wise. The reality is that there are far better people than me to ask for these things. Here are a few from my heart:
Own your sins, repent of them, and ask forgiveness from God and others as needed.
Be thankful, always remembering that in Christ you are doing better than you deserve
Commit yourself to studying God’s Word, your lamp and guide
Pray, even when you don’t feel like it, for yourself, your family, your church, your community, and the world.
Cultivate a desire to learn and grow in every area of your life.
Read both fiction and nonfiction books, by good authors, both dead and alive.
Take yourself and others seriously, but don’t be afraid to have fun .
Never lose a sense of wonder at all that God is, and all that he has done, and his wonderful works. There is none like him (Ps. 139:14).
I’m so grateful to know you and to be your youth pastor and friend. I consider it one of my greatest joys to see you and your friends developing into all that God has made you to be, and you are well on your way.
Keep pressing on. May you gain a heart of wisdom as you learn to number your days, and may your heart find its home in the everlasting God who made you and loves you. Happy birthday, James.
Yours in Christ,
Logan
