2 Timothy 4 -- Important Words

“Preach the Good News.  Be ready at all times, and tell the people what they need to do.  Tell them when they are wrong.  Encourage them with great patience and careful teaching … Control yourself at all times, accept troubles, do the work of telling the Good News, and complete all the duties of a servant of God.”  Paul was giving Timothy his final message.  It was more than a pep talk.  It was a word from God.

 

The world would read this and scream that no self-righteous preacher was going to tell them what to do!  But people have to hear or they won’t know.  My commentary said, “A preacher should afflict the comfortable, and comfort the afflicted.  If there is conviction but no remedy, we add to people’s burdens.  And if we encourage those who ought to be rebuked, WE ARE ASSISTING THEM TO SIN.”

 

Paul had told Timothy to be ready at all times.  I loved what I found in my commentary:  “It is easy to make excuses [for not speaking about the Gospel] when we ought to be making opportunities.”

 

It’s easy to not want to make people uncomfortable, but it’s discomfort that moves us.  Once in a management seminar, I was told that it was easy to teach an elephant to tap-dance.  You simply have to find a sharp stick and start poking!  God provides the sharp stick of His word and the opportunities for us to move people to a point where He can work in their lives.

 

Father, let me never miss an opportunity that You have engineered to change a life simply because I might be fearful of what that person or others might say.  Let me worry less about my own temporary discomfort and more about their eternal discomfort.  Finally, remind me often of the words You gave Timothy here – to control MYSELF at all times, to accept troubles, to do the work of telling the Good News, and to complete all of my duties as a servant of God.  Let my life be an offering to You.

 

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford