#6 - Thoughts for Young Men

I've been meaning to read Thoughts for Young Men by J.C. Ryle for sometime. I think I was clearly a young man at the time. Now that is somewhat questionable.J.C. Ryle was a pastor in 19th century and father to 5 (3 sons). It's amazing that this classic is in fact so classic! His thoughts for young men in the 19th century are just as relevant to the young men of the 21st century.

Reading this book made me realize that I am not so young any more. I guess fatherhood really ages you...in a good way. I realized also that many of the struggles of young men just begin then. If they are not dealt with and repented of, they will become the struggles of old men. Here are a few gems:

• Believe me, you cannot stand still in the affairs of your souls. Habits of good or evil are strengthening in your hearts. Every day you are either getting nearer to God, or further off. Every year that you continue impenitent, the wall of division between you and heaven becomes higher and thicker, and the gulf to be crossed deeper and broader. Oh, dread the hardening effect of constant lingering sin!
• Another danger to young men is thoughtlessness and inconsideration...Believe me, this world is not a world in which we can do well without thinking, and least of all do well in the matter of our souls. 'Don't think,' whispers Satan.
• [Referring to a great statesman who retired later in life] His former gay companions came to visit him, and told him he was becoming melancholy: 'No,' he replied, 'I am serious; for all are serious round about me. God is serious in observing us - Christ is serious in interceding for us - the Spirit is serious in striving with us - the truths of God are serious - our spiritual enemies are serious in their endeavors to ruin us - poor lost sinners are serious in hell - and why the should not you and I be serious too?'
• Call to mind the saying of good Colonel Gardiner [a well known Christian at that time]: 'I fear God, and therefore I have nothing else to fear.' Go and be like him.
• Never be satisfied with the friendship of anyone who will not be useful to your soul.
• For one thing, resolve at once, by God's help, to break off every known sin, however small...Nothing darkens the eyes of the mind so much, and deadens the conscience so surely, as an allowed sin. It may be a little one, but it is not the less dangerous for all that. A small leak will sink a great ship, a small spark will kindle a great fire, and a little allowed sin in like manner will ruin an immortal soul. Take my advice, and never spare a little sin.
• There is nothing small betwixt us and God, for God is an infinite God.
• This, too, is one great reason why worldly amusements are so objectionable. It may be difficult, in some instances, to show that they are, in themselves, positively unscriptural and wrong. But there is little difficulty in showing that the tendency of almost all of them is most injurious to the soul. They sow the seeds of an earthly and sensual frame of mind. They war against the life of faith. They promote an unhealthy and unnatural craving after excitement. They minister to the list of the flesh, and the lust of the eye, and the pride of life. They dim the view of heaven and eternity, and give a false colour to the things of time.
• Agents are wanted now in almost every great and good cause, and cannot be found...Money is more easily got for doing good than men. Ministers are wanted for new churches - missionaries are wanted for new stations - visitors are wanted for neglected districts...many a good cause is standing still merely for want of agents. The supply of godly, faithful, trustworthy men, for posts like those I have named, is far below the demand. Young men of the present day, you are wanted for God.

If you are a young man, know a young man or once were a young man, you probably should read this book at some point in your life. It was short, easy to read and convicting in many respects.