No
doubt Timothy had a strong spiritual grounding. He had good parental
upbringing, a true spiritual friend in Paul and was endowed with spiritual
gifts. But he had a timid and tender nature. And he seemed to have left his
spiritual gifts unused. Here, Paul began by calling Timothy to be strong in the
Lord. Timothy was not to rely on his natural talent but in the grace that could
be found in Christ. As a servant of Christ, he had at his disposal the grace, the
divine enablement that Christ would gladly supply. Here in this chapter, Paul
literally gave him several directives to consider.
Firstly,
Timothy was to impart the truths which he learned from Paul to faithful men
(verse 2). The aim was to disseminate those truths. To do it successfully,
Timothy must engage in the task of equipping others. He must identify and
select faithful men, who also had the ability to impart. The goal was to train
them so that they would in turn train other faithful and able men to do the
same thing. This is the principle of multiplying oneself.
Secondly,
using the metaphor of a soldier (verses 3-4), Paul urged him to endure
hardship. Just as a soldier who has been enlisted for war follows the orders of
his commander, Timothy was enlisted into a battle in another realm. As a
soldier would expect to go through hard time and even suffer mistreatment,
Timothy must also be prepared for that in his spiritual duties. Hard as the
situation might be, like a soldier, he should not look for the luxury or ease.
To be effective, Timothy had to break tie with the daily mundane and secular
grind of life, and choose not to be entangled in them. Instead, he must be
engaged in the battle for the truth, seeking only to have the approval of his
commander, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thirdly,
Paul went on to use the metaphor of an athlete (verse 5) to emphasize the need
for devoted discipline. To succeed in ministry, Timothy was required to look at
his ministry as an athlete would in a competitive race. A dedicated athlete is
wholly immersed in his quest. He divests himself of all encumbrances and will
not give anything less than his best. He is single-minded and focused in order
to win the prize. To succeed in the ministry, Timothy must emulate the athlete.
He must be single-minded, devoted and disciplined. In short, Paul was
encouraging Timothy to be focused and emulate the tenacity of an athlete.
Fourthly,
Paul used the lesson from the life of a hardworking farmer (verse 6). A farmer
has to work hard in order to enjoy the harvest. After sowing, the farmer must
be patient while waiting to reap the harvest. He has to take care of his own
self so that he can endure the harsh demand of farming. So here, Paul was
telling Timothy to be prepared for hard work. He should take care of himself,
sow in the life of others and then be patient and wait to reap the harvest.
In
order for Timothy to fully grasp what Paul had just told him, he asked the
young minister to ponder and reflect on what he had just said. Paul was assured
that understanding would come to Timothy from the Lord.
There
are plenty to pick up from here if we are to triumph in life and ministry. We
must be sure to rely on the Holy Spirit. Just stay focused, refusing to be entangled
in worldly stuff. Meanwhile cultivate deep devotion for the Lord and exercise discipline
and patience as we serve God and the people. God will help us in all situations,
as with His strength we work out His plan and purpose for our lives.
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