“There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish….”

How often do we overlook the ideas and contributions of the youngest among us because we filter their words, observations and contributions through the lens of their age or experience? When we do we might miss something extraordinary that they have to offer.  And, for those who work in startups where everyone is “young”, don’t think it doesn’t happen there too.  Does the intern get invited to the brainstorming sessions or given the extra license of speak up?  We miss out when we think that the young or the inexperienced can’t contribute.  I know of an example where a CEO of a large well-known retailer hired a fresh college graduate to report directly to him, with the same meeting and status as the rest of his direct reports, because no one else in the company could formulate and articulate a strategy and plan to reach and service millennials.  I take my hat off to this CEO for not getting tangled up in the status quo of age and experience.

God uses over and over the example of children for the kind of faith and love we are to have.  It was a little boy who had the goods for Jesus to multiple to feed the 5000.  With God, there isn’t any seniority or status that comes with experience.  We are all given the same amount of faith and the same gift of salvation.  If we accept and follow Him then it is all there for us, regardless.  That means that just because we might be new in our faith, or not as deeply rooted as we wish were were, that we still can be effective witnesses and examples of Christ to others.  If we are holding back because we don’t think we have “enough” or aren’t spiritually “old” enough, then we are missing what God has in store for us.

Reference: John 6:9 (New Living Translation)