1 Timothy 4.15-16 15 Be
diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may
see your progress. 16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them,
because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. – St. Paul
I’m not sure Paul could have gotten any closer to using
the words: Practice what you preach.
If we mean what we say, and say what we mean, our words will have more bearing
on those to whom we speak. If we say what we do, and do what we say, people
will generally accept us as genuine. Paul told Timothy, to be genuine.
Being a preacher is a serious business. It really doesn’t
matter if one is vocational or not, the fact that one stands in the place of
trying to help people get their spiritual lives together is a serious business and
truth is integral to the process. Truth that is seen though, is more impressive
than truth that is spoken – Paul admonished Timothy to live the truth.
One of my favorite saying is that which is attributed to
St. Francis of Assissi: Preach the gospel
wherever you go and if necessary, use words. Acts of kindness and love are
powerful in communicating kindness and love. But when you stand up and
represent God and attempt to help others live godly lives, you better live a
godly life in your attempt.
Paul said, Timothy, let them see your growth. Growth ought to be a hallmark of the Christian
life. If you preach patience, are you patient? If you preach humility, are you
humble? Are you more patient and humble this year than you were last? Is that
because of your efforts or that of the presence of God within you? Can people
see God making changes in you? Does that encourage them to allow God to make
changes in them?
Paul charged Timothy to watch his life and doctrine –
they need to match up; what is preached ought to be practiced. Otherwise
phoniness prevails. Otherwise, insincerity happens. Otherwise the false is
exalted and the real is let go.
And Paul pressed Timothy to persevere because perseverance
shows where the heart really is: what’s really going on inside of someone.
Preaching the truth, living the truth, and persevering in the truth will do one
of two things: it will either attract or repel. Those who really see it and
want it, will speak it and live it. Those who don’t, won’t.
Father, it is way
more than showing up and church with my phonies on; it is relationship with You
and truly a matter of what is real, vibrant and growing inside me; our just
make-believe. Help me to see past Paul’s words to Timothy and apply them as is
he spoke them to me. Let me be the real-deal, and Lord lead me to live the
truth. The pain of truth and real life is worth the glory of overcoming
make-believe and all that is false – amen.
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