Greetings, dear siblings
I pray that you’re well, in body, mind, and spirit. If a stranger randomly met you around others, how are they likely to find you? And would it positively reflect your faith in Jesus? I tell you, once I’d have been afraid of such a question. But God intervened. Consider Today’s Holy Nougat.
2 Timothy 2:24 NIV
[24] And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.
The Lord’s Servant
The chapter title reveals to us that this was the second of two mentoring-motivating letters from Paul to Timothy, his spiritual son. On the whole, the letter offers insights for godly living and God-fearing leadership. Although versed in Judaism from the teachings of his mother and grandmother, Timothy may have also had a cosmopolitan approach to life. His father wasn’t Jewish. This may have placed him in a good place to interact with this new faith that, with its Jewish foundation, was open to non-Jews.
Paul, whose spirituality originated in institutional Judaism, had a profound epiphany with Y’shua. It resulted in a transformation and his new role that involved teaching non-Jews how to live in Christ. Acts 16:1-3 tells us that Paul met Timothy in Lystra and began mentoring him. It seems that Paul knew from the onset that young Timothy would be his successor. These two letters confirm that the mentoring continued even after they parted company.
Because he was preparing him to take over the ministry, Paul’s letter contained both encouragement and solid leadership advice. He was also preparing him for managing his own congregation, the church at Ephesus. This thus required helping Timothy to confidently select leaders who would enhance the teaching of the Gospel. I suspect that our Nougat was part of that training, although it could also be a warning to Timothy himself. Whichever it was, we realize that being level-headed was a key criterion for ministry.
Self-Check
How level-headed am I, and does it affect my witness for Christ?
Application
We know that quarrelsomeness is neither a Fruit of God’s Spirit nor a welcome characteristic among God’s people. It is referenced three other times in Paul’s letters to Timothy. All in relation to Christian leadership.
As people called and sent by God through God’s Spirit, and in the power of Y’shua’s name, we also need to see ourselves as leaders for Christ. Our character must also bear positive testimony to Christ living within. Quarrelsome attitudes need therefore to be replaced by kindness, even to those who we believe don’t deserve it.
Therein lies the challenge. Being kind to those we like is easy. Well, for most of us. It becomes a bit more complicated when we’re obliged to be nice to garralous and difficult people for the sake of Christ. More critically, if we were predisposed to cantankerous attitudes, this is a call to gentleness. This is especially important because, as the Lord’s servants, we do not only represent ourselves when we travel, we represent God.
Again, as we close our reflection together, the question returns – if we were caught unguarded, who would others see? Christ living in us, our us in all our humanity?
Point to Ponder
Is it time for a reset? If so, by God’s grace – let’s make the time.
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May all we seek be found in Christ
