2 Timothy 2:23-26 NLT
Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.
From the beginning of the Christian Church, the divisions have always come from the “how” of the faith.
What a believer in Jesus Christ should or shouldn’t do. From what to eat, circumcision, days of worship, Paul, through the Holy Spirit’s inspiration, taught on these subjects with great passion and clarity.
When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we become “a servant of the Lord.”
As with all instruction that we receive from God’s Word, we get this command:
“A servant of the Lord MUST not quarrel but must be kind to everyone.”
Let’s start here, do we find ourselves in contention and quarreling most of the time, or do we find ourselves being kind to others?
The keyword in this part of scripture is “must.”
If we find ourselves a little off on this part of instruction, let’s bring this before the Lord and ask Him to bring our hearts around on this. And ask until it becomes manifest.
John 14:13-14 NLT
You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!
When we ask Jesus to move in our hearts for anything that is in line with God’s Will, it will be done.
“Be able to teach.”
Doing this requires that we know what we are talking about. And this will require that we know what the Word of God has to say on any subject we are teaching.
AND in able to effectively teach any subject, especially with God’s Word, we can not give away what we ourselves do not have.
What does that mean, you may be asking yourself?
What that means is we shouldn’t be offering up any suggestions that we are not living out in our own lives.
James 3:1-2 NLT
Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.
The only thing that we should put ourselves out there for are the things that the Spirit of God is already doing in your heart, and the Word of God should back it up.
“And be patient with difficult people.”
Matthew 5:43-48 NLT
”You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. [48] But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.
It is easy to get along with and love those who we get along with and who love us.
But Christians are called to a higher calling with attitudes beyond what we ”feel” like doing. And this can only be accomplished with the Spirit of God living centered in our hearts.
With the US’s current state of affairs, this presents more of a challenge for the believer than any other time since I have been alive.
The good news is:
Matthew 19:26 NLT
Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”
”Gently instruct those who oppose the truth.”
Sometimes we wield the Word of God like a sledgehammer; we walk around using the Bible as a microscope examining the world around us with a scrutiny that we wouldn’t consider doing to ourselves.
Sometimes we are self-righteous and by acting like this, we detract more then attract others to our Savior, Jesus Christ.
”Perhaps God will change these people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth.”
We also need to understand that the change of heart that an individual has is in the sovereign hand of God.
It is the Spirit of God that makes the change in the heart of a believer, and when that change occurs, and the new believer calls on the name of the Lord, there is a celebration in heaven.
Heavenly Father, Thank You.
I pray that Your Word continues to melt my heart, affecting my thoughts, attitudes, and actions. I pray that my actions glorify You.
I pray for those attempting to get into my Facebook account, and I pray that they get to know You as their Lord and Savior.
In the names of Jesus Christ, I pray in Your Holy Name, Amen!! 🙏❤️
