Meaning: It is a proverbial statement that can mean:
- those who are children today shall be adults tomorrow.
- those who are not matured today shall become matured tomorrow;
- ‘those who are small today can become big tomorrow;
On the flipside, it can mean those who are now big, matured or adults were once small, immature and children’.
In the late 70s, the Fed Govt of Nigeria constructed an expressway from Lagos-Ibadan, which made some luxurious buses divert their journey from Lagos to the East/North via this route. As a child, I remembered that me, my brother, and our friends would go close to the expressway, near our house to look at fantastic cars as they went pass; and sometimes those buses would pass as well. Some of such buses are ‘The Young Shall Grow’, ‘Ekene Dili Chukwu Transport’, ‘Ifesinachi Transport’, etc. All of us that used to watch those vehicles as children then, are now adults. We have grown.
The Young Shall Grow fleet of buses is owned by Chief (Dr) Vincent Amaechi Obianodo. Born in 1947. After the successful completion of his first school leaving certificate in 1963, he underwent apprenticeship as a tyre dealer from 1964 to 1966 in Kano with his elder brother, Chief Mike Obianodo (Ichie Ezeani Akuluouno) which he completed before serving as a soldier in the Biafran Armed forces during the Nigerian civil war.
In 1970 immediately after the civil war, he commenced as a tyre retailer and vulcaniser and through hard work and diligence, he was able to raise capital to venture into his dream business of road transportation. Although he worked with a road transportation company as a bus conductor before he kicked off his company which he later registered in 1972. His first vehicle was a Ford minibus which he operated under the pet name, “The Young Shall Grow”. He later diversified into Hospitality, Cooking Gas and Oil, etc.
Today, Chief (Dr) Vincent Amaechi Obianodo has grown, not only in age, but also in business, wealth, influence, impact, etc. The workforce that benefits direct and indirectly from his various establishments exceed 120,000 people. The young for him has truly grown!
King David gave us a testimonial about his experience as he grew up in life.
Psalms 37: 25 25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
All our young people shall grow old, they shall not be forsaken. They and their seeds shall not beg for bread in Jesus name.
It is good to grow in every area of one’s life: stature, intellect, impact, etc. The ultimate growth of any individual however is spiritual. It has to do with one’s knowledge of God and the fulfilment of one’s Divine purpose in life.
Apostle Paul had to grow in this area, even though he was Jew, a notable scholar, and a Pharisee.
Philippians 3:5-9 5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
Apostle Paul having found the perfect way, still wanted to know more about Christ, he kept pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. He indeed really grew.
Philippians 3:10-14 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Examples of 2 young persons that grew in the bible
There are several young people in the bible who grew in the Lord and fulfilled their Divine purpose.
- The Boy Samuel was one of such. When Samuel was weaned by his mother – Hannah. The bible said he was taken to Shiloh to start living in the temple with Eli the High Priest’s family.
He was like a little errand boy at this time. He however began to grow.
I Sam. 1: 24-28 24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the Lord in Shiloh: and the child was young. 25 And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli. 26 And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the Lord. 27 For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him: 28 Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. And he worshipped the Lord there.
As Samuel was growing up in the temple. The atmosphere around him was ungodly. The two sons of Eli (Ophini and Phineas) ministering as priests about this time were sinful. Thankfully to God, Samuel continued to grow positively even in that unholy environment.
I Sam. 2: 11-12, 18, 26 11 And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto the Lord before Eli the priest. 12 Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the Lord. 18 But Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child, girded with a linen ephod. 26 And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the Lord, and also with men.
As Samuel grew spiritually, at a time he still did not know how God’s speaks, even though he had been ministering unto the Lord. He was again taught how to hear God by Prophet Eli, interestingly, who by this time was not hearing God anymore (I Sam. 3: 1-10).
The conclusion of Samuel’s life in the end was that he continued to grow spiritually, until he was speaking and hearing from God like a man would speak to another man.
I Sam. 3: 19-21 19 And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord. 21 And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh: for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord.
- The second young person I would like to mention, who grew in the Lord and fulfilled his Divine purpose is the Boy Joseph. Early in life the bible makes us to know that Joseph was an obedient child and someone that hates evil deeds. How did I know this?
Gen. 37: 2 2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives (concubines): and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.
Gen. 39: 7-9 7 And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. 8 But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; 9 There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?
While Reuben, the first son of Jacob slept with one of his father’s wives; Joseph would not do that to his Egyptian master’s wife. The woman could have promised to give him money to buy his freedom. Yet he chose to obey God. That takes a high level of spiritual maturity.
Joseph continued to grow spiritually. From knowing the will of God for his own life; he started knowing the will of God for other people (Chief Butler and Chief Baker); and then the will of God for a whole nation (Pharaoh); and the known world around him (Middle East region).
His Divine purpose was to save thousands of lives from a terrible famine and to fulfil the prophecy God had given to Abraham.
Gen. 45: 5-7 5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. 6 For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. 7 And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
Gen 15: 13-14 13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; 14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.
For every young person and even the adults listening to me now, there are several things you will need to consider as I round up:
Do you know the will of God for your life?
Do you know the will of God for others around you?
Do you know the will of God for your nation?
Do you know the will of God for the world?
What aspect of the move of God here on earth is God counting on you for?
Samuel was able to minister in righteousness before God for the nation of Israel and helped saved them from the hands of their enemies – the Philistines.
Joseph was able to behave godly at home and abroad. He was able to reveal the mind of God to others. He was able to save his race and his generation from destruction. He also fulfilled the words of God prophesied to his great-grandfather.
Are you living a righteous life?
Are you helping to save others from the hands of the Enemy?
Are you behaving godly at home and away from home?
Are you revealing the mind of God to others?
Are you involved in the plan of God to save your race and generation from destruction?
Are you poised to fulfil the prophesy of God as touching your life and generation after you? Are you truly growing in the Lord?
Are you in any way set to fulfilling your purpose in life?
These are deep thoughts for all of us and something we must bring to God continually in our prayers. For all our young ones, I pray that they will keep growing in stature where applicable. They will keep growing in wisdom, in the knowledge of God and in the fear of the Lord in Jesus name.
God will used them to do exploits in their generation.
For us that have grown, we will yet grow. Our growth will not be stunted, it will not be abnormal; and it will give glory to God in Jesus name.
Prayers
Father, help me to grow in every area of my life.
Father, help me to grow particularly spiritually.
Father, help me to fulfil my Divine purpose in life.
Father, keep me on this side of life until I have fulfilled all these in Jesus name.
Sermon delivered on May 16, 2021.