At the very tail end of an interview, the fifty-three-year-old outspoken conservative pundit, television journalist, commentator, and author was asked by Charlie Kirk what life advice he would give to young adults. Without any hesitation Tucker Carlson quickly rattled off the following heartfelt and impromptu advice:
“…get married when you’re too young, have more kids than you can afford, take a job you’re not qualified for, live boldly, stop getting high, stop doing anything that blurs your vision or makes time go faster. You’re gonna die before you know it…don’t waste a second. That’s the sin, is living thoughtlessly…and wasting time.”
When I heard this, I was encouraged and convicted. I was very encouraged to hear a popular and leading voice give advice that is so contrary to the so-called “wisdom” that the western world pushes upon our youth and from which middle-aged people presently suffer from namely: Amass large debt in college even though you don’t know what career you want to pursue, explore yourself both sexually and medicinally regardless of the consequences, strive for your career and success above everything else, put off the commitment of marriage as long as possible, and if nothing else works out, then think about the possibility of having a child. But only have one because they are a great burden to you personally, financially, and professionally.
I was also a bit convicted by Tucker’s advice because if I had to live life again, I admit that I would have started having children sooner, and more of them. Regardless of the many things I wish I had done differently in my life, I think his advice is objectively good. But it can only be so if it’s based in biblical morality and godly principles. So, let’s see how this instruction from a political activist stacks up against the Bible:
“…get married when you’re too young,”
While the Bible obviously doesn’t give explicit counsel at what age everyone should enter into marriage, Tucker’s sentiment pokes a sharp stick directly in the eye of all that tells us enlightened westerners to wait and only commit to marriage (if we ever decide to) only after we’ve finished college and achieved financial stability through a professional career. For that reason alone, I like the idea of getting married young, but let’s see what the Bible says.
In the beginning, the Lord God’s foremost command to Adam with no prerequisites was to “hold fast to his wife” and become one flesh in marriage.1 The Apostle Paul tells the unmarried that “…if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.”2 How many of today’s youth burn with sexual passion and intimate friendship (both which come at an early age in life) but unsatisfyingly try and fill those needs outside of marriage where those natural desires are met in the deepest way? Maybe that is why Isaiah, a chief Old Testament prophet, prophesied that in a time of spiritual renewal and God’s favor that young men would marry young women.3
And in the book of Proverbs, the author writes, “Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth, a lovely deer, a graceful doe.”4
…have more kids than you can afford,”
Sadly, nearly all Christians have fallen for the contemporary philosophy that you should only have children if you want them and when you want them. Furthermore, we are told that we are to limit the number of children to those we can financially afford and emotionally support. Thus, the fertility rate in the U.S. is at its lowest point now and doesn’t look like it will rebound. But while those are concerns everyone should consider, they shouldn’t take the Christian’s trust and faith away from God. If I could interpret Tucker’s remark in Christian terminology, it would simply be: “Trust God — He will provide.” Jesus promised as much in the Sermon on the Mount.
Again, in the beginning, God’s command to both Adam and Eve after He blessed them was to “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it.”5 To follow through on such a command would be a dread if indeed children were some sort of a curse or nothing more than a responsibility that take away one’s own freedom. But if children were a good blessing from God Himself, then obeying the command would be an amazing joy to experience. It’s no wonder then that in the Psalms we read that “children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!”6 Likewise Solomon writes, that “Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers.”7 Jesus also spoke about the joy that children bring into our lives saying, “When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.”8
…take a job you’re not qualified for,”
The basic point here that I think Tucker is suggesting is to take risks, work hard, and learn along the way. Don’t wait to become licensed, qualified, certified, …etc. Don’t be afraid to try new things and begin working as soon as possible. We don’t have to revert to sending children into coal mines for sixteen hours a day to know that a strong work ethic starts from a young age.
The Bible’s view of work and labor is that they are a calling from God, inherently good and beneficial for others. Paul’s counsel to the Ephesians was to “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.”9 Paul even went as far to say, “If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.”10 And in Proverbs we read “In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.”11
…live boldly,”
If any people should be living bold lives especially in a post-Christian and post-truth era it should be those who bear the name of their Lord. Jesus was and remains the Christian’s example of godly boldness in human form. One way we know this is because it was only when the religious elites recognized the boldness of the apostles in the book of Acts that they made the connection that these unlearned men were followers of Jesus, (Acts 4:13).
Years before, Solomon wrote, “The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.”12 The author of Hebrews makes the case that with God on His children’s side there is really nothing they have to fear. “So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”13 Likewise Paul reckoned that “Since we have such a hope,” we are “very bold.”14
…stop getting high, stop doing anything that blurs your vision or makes time go faster.”
Clearly, the Bible calls Christians to be sober. Verses abound throughout the Old and New Testaments admonishing for us to be clearheaded, but here are a few.
Peter reminds the church that “…the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry.”15 Christians are called to something much better now. “Be sober-minded; be watchful.” For what purpose? Because “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.16 Getting high and ingesting anything into our body that clouds and dulls our judgment will make us prone to fall and struggle in the faith. Christians are not to be filled with wine, for “that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.”17
…don’t waste a second. That’s the sin, is living thoughtlessly…and wasting time.”
Lastly, Tucker concludes his life advice with a heart of wisdom, having been taught to number his days.18 Tucker continued saying that he had wasted plenty of money on room service over the years but doesn’t regret it now because money comes and goes. But, he said, “any time that I wasted is really bitter for me, because is finite.” This is undoubtedly true. There is no getting back the relatively short time we are given by God to live here on earth. As James wrote, our life is a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes, (James 4:14). Paul urges us as well to live fully and with eternity in our perspective, “Making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.”19
In the end, here’s my summary of Tucker’s sentiments: Start living life young! Don’t waste time. Live fully, soberly, and boldly. That includes working hard, finding the goodness of marriage as soon as possible and enjoying the blessings of parenting many children.
As a general rule of thumb, if the world tells you one thing (and it always does) it’s probably safe and more godly to do the exact opposite. And maybe that’s the whole point Tucker is trying to make.
But even if his suggestions for life are merely to encourage the opposing viewpoint of worldly wisdom, I find it quite biblical and thus, refreshing! Sure, nearly any advice or train of thought can be backed up with verses being pulled out of context from the Bible. But as I have tried to show above, you don’t need to stretch the meaning of Scriptures too far to see the general goodness of Tucker’s life advice for those inside and outside the church.
Micah Coate, President and Host of Salvation and Stuff
1. Genesis 2:24 ESV 2. 1 Corinthians 7:9 ESV 3. Isaiah 62:5 ESV 4. Proverbs 5:18-19 ESV 5. Genesis 1:28 ESV 6. Psalm 127:3-5 ESV 7. Proverbs 17:6 ESV 8. John 16:21 ESV 9. Ephesians 4:28 ESV 10. 2 Thessalonians 3:10 ESV 11. Proverbs 14:23 ESV 12. Proverbs 28:1 ESV 13. Hebrews 13:6 ESV 14. 2 Corinthians 3:12 ESV 15. 1 Peter 4:3 ESV 16. 1 Peter 5:8 ESV 17. Ephesians 5:18 ESV 18. Psalm 90:12 ESV 19. Ephesians 5:16-17 ESV
Tucker Carlson, on The Charlie Kirk Show, Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CgQRLqFpjvS/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
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