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Morning Thoughts |
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Morning Thoughts |
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II Timothy
2:24-26, "And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all
men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose
themselves; if God, peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging
of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the
devil, who are taken captive by him at his will." This morning, conflict abounds but is quite often avoidable. Some conflicts wage out of good purpose. For example, when someone stands for the truth of God's word to oppose error in a righteous fashion as God's word has dictated for us (II Timothy 2:16), that action is honourable. However, when people make strife about trivial things, the conflict is waged dishonourably with a very ugly outcome. These are the conflicts that should never rear their ugly faces in God's house, yet their visage does loom up from time to time. How do we approach such hideous scenes? Notably, how should the pastor and undershepherd handle such situations? The answer is not always the same, for each situation and circumstance may pose its own set of unique characteristics. Paul does, however, give several points of good advice that should apply to the different types of unwarranted conflicts in God's house. In the instructions that Paul gave to Timothy, we see that many of them seem to primarily impact the ministry, but most all of them do apply to the congregants as well. For example, Paul's admonition in 2:15 of this same epistle serves all of God's people well and not just preachers. As Paul sets the stage for our verses above, we see that he has given some sharp admonition and caution about how to deal with sticky situations and persons in the house of God. For example, how should one handle the two in verses 17-18? The answer is in verse 16. Shun the things that they promote. Have no fellowship and confidence with it. How should a servant of the Lord handle foolish questions? (Verse 23) Plainly and simply, he should avoid them. With two specific - yet different - types of examples, how do we proceed? Is this a time to actively shun or simply avoid? The people babbling about vain and profane things are teaching them and leading away people by overturning their faith. The foolish and unlearned are simply asking questions. If someone is openly damaging the people of God, it behooves the servant of God to seek their welfare as the undershepherd of God's heritage. He must spare the flock from those evils and wolves that seek their destruction. (Acts 20:28) However, others may be either ignorantly asking questions or seeking to "gain a foothold" by foolish questions. These types of things should just simply be avoided by the servant of God. The reason for this avoidance is two-fold. Should the questions be founded upon ignorance, the question will not be resolved by striving (fighting) about it. Rather, the resolution comes from showing the person a better house instead of tearing down the ignorance they are living in. Or, should the questions be foolishness - or perhaps deviousness - the striving or fighting about it will simply pull the servant down to the deviant's level. By doing so, he will lose the confidence that a man of God needs to promote soundness and edification in God's kingdom. Therefore, whichever reason we are dealing with, ignorance or foolishness, those types of situations bring out the worst in us. If they bring out the worst in us, we should just avoid them rather than stoop down with them. One of the best at avoiding these types of "hairy" situations was my natural father. Whenever the ignorance or foolishness was in bloom, he seemed always able to avoid it rather than be drawn into its web. Many thought this behaviour was mean and even standoffish, but he was simply trying to keep himself above the reproach that inevitably comes from such circumstances. However, Paul does not simply stop by giving us the admonition to avoid those things. He also lays out the solution. While my father could be perceived as somewhat aloof by avoiding those scenes, all attest that he faithfully tried to execute Paul's solution to this problem. If we are not supposed to go to war (strive) with these things, what is the solution? Teaching and the manner of teaching is the answer. Paul describes three qualities of the man and the teaching that can resolve such things: gentle, patient, and meek. The man should be patient in his person, gentle in his dealings, and meek in his teaching. By trying to be and do these three things, the ignorance can subside to enlightenment and the foolishness can either be driven out of people or brought to light in people. One of the easiest things to do when preaching is also one of the worst. Tearing down error can be easier than successfully building up and promoting truth. Tearing down an old building is easier than building a new one. Yet, the man of God should be patient (willing to invest the time), gentle (not breaking down nearly as much as building up), and meek (showing a better house rather than condemning the old one). So, to faithfully fulfill this three-fold injunction from Paul, the minister must be apt to teach and promote the truth. We should be able to say what is true, why it is true, and do so honourably. If people oppose themselves by ignorance or foolishness, perhaps the teaching will yield the peaceable fruit of repentance. However, notice who is responsible for what. The man of God is responsible for being patient, gentle, and meek. Is the repentance upon his shoulders as well? No, God must grant the repentance. Now, it behooves us to state that should the man of God not be faithful in his efforts that God requires the people's blood (lack of repentance) at the preacher's hands. (Ezekiel 33) However, should he faithfully discharge his duties in God's kingdom, the lack of repentance is upon the people who have not followed the Spirit's prompting to return to the good way wherein rest is found for the soul. (Jeremiah 6:16) Many times the ignorant can learn that he is ignorant from faithful, consistent teaching of the truth. Sadly, I have seen some that remained fairly ignorant, even after much time was spent in and around the church of God. Sometimes, the foolish can be convicted of his own deviousness to repent and turn from it. Sadly, I have seen some that added bitterness to their devious lifestyle and blamed everyone else for their own problems. Paul says that a minister should care enough to commit his life in a way that he not only seeks to disengage from "stooping to this level" by not striving about it, but that he also seek to promote things that help others out of it and away from the devil's snares. Nothing delights the devil more than to keep people in and around God's kingdom ignorant and foolish. Stealing the joy from those delights him, for they are captive to him instead of fellowshipping with God. The man of God should long and desire that the ignorant be recovered from their ignorance and the foolish from their foolishness. Paul prayed and desired greatly that those of his nation would be delivered from those things. (Romans 10:1-4) When those around us (who may have even known the truth at one time) end up ignorant or foolish, we should long and pray without ceasing for them that they be recovered from the snare of the devil and granted repentance by God. Should the ignorance and foolishness turn to public babbling or even vain teaching, we are compelled to actively shun them to prevent the spread of such a canker to other sheep. Yet, even shunning these men, we should pray that they be recovered from the devil's snare as well. What could be more becoming of a child of God in this life than emulating the Master by praying for the very ones that oppose us and themselves? Have I prayed for such lately? Regrettably, I must say that I have not prayed for them nearly as I should. May we pray for them and for ourselves that we do not strive with them or worse end up like them. In Hope, Bro Philip  |