The word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
“Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”
But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.
Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.” - Jeremiah 1:4-10
How do you react when someone like your boss asks for someone to raise their hand to undertake something you don't know how to do? Do you react by keeping your hand down? Do you wait to see how everyone else reacts--maybe someone else knows how to do it? Do you pause to consider whether the unknowns in this case are worth the risk?
I tend to err on the other side. If someone asks if I can do something, I tend to say "Yes" and then figure out what they are talking about later.
This is what happened to Jeremiah when God is looking for volunteers. His first response is a cautious one--I am too young--, not sure that it is worth the risk or maybe thinking that God had overestimated his capabilities. But God says to Jeremiah: "Don't say that you are too yong" He doesn't even give Jeremiah the pep talk like he did for Joshua ("be strong and courageous") or promise help like he did for Moses ("Aaron will speak") He just says: "You must go to everyone I send you and say whatever I command you." And that was enough for Jeremiah, even though the message was tough.
Sometimes God gives us tough things to say. Maybe not the same as Jeremiah. But a truth that needs to be heard. A truth which, if not said, has bad consequences. Not saying the truth might seem like a better, safer option. But God knows better and commands us to say it despite our misgivings and despite the personal consequences of how others might think of me.
Sometimes I like to speak the truth. Maybe for the wrong reason, because I want to use the truth like a weapon and not as a guide. Other times I don't like to speak the truth because it has negative personal consequences in the short term. Right at that moment, God's Spirit often whispers a command: Speak my truth. And I ignore that whisper at my own peril.
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