Week 21, Day 2: Give Attention to Reading…
Today’s Reading: 1 Timothy 6:1-21; 2 Timothy 1:1-18
Some thoughts from yesterday’s reading…
We have, for the last 20 weeks, been presenting this set of studies based under the heading “Give Attention to Reading.” In 1 Timothy 4:13, we see where this idea comes from! Paul, as he wrote to the young man, Timothy, encouraged him to remain steadfast in his faith. The way to do that was to “give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.” In verse 15, Paul went on to tell Timothy to “Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them that your progress may be evident to all.” If Timothy were to do as Paul instructed, He would indeed remain steadfast, and he would be an effective tool in the kingdom of God.
To “give attention” to something, according to Vines Expository Dictionary, means to give heed, and it suggests devotion of thought and effort to a thing. Paul wanted Timothy to give his whole devotion of thought to reading the scriptures, to exhortation gained from reading the scriptures, and to the doctrine that was revealed in those scriptures.
Far too often, we think of reading the scriptures as a tedious thing. We have to set aside time to do it, and try to put forth some effort to get through it. We let our Bible reading fall by the wayside if something more important comes up. I know that we are all very busy in today’s society, but the need to “give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine” has not disappeared just because we are busy! We need to make sure that we devote time, and attention to reading God’s word, as that is the only way that we can know what He desires of us. If we are too busy to ever read, then we are just too busy!
It is amazing sometimes how much time can be spent reading other things, even when we think we don’t have time for the reading of the Bible. If you are anything like me, you probably have read many books just for pleasure. I know that I have heard (and seen writings of) many people discussing the books that they have read and enjoyed. There is certainly nothing wrong with that! But, we should also hear Christians discussing things they have read in the Bible during the week, things that have stood out to them, or things that they enjoyed in their reading. This shows that we are not only reading, but that we are “giving attention to reading…”
I appreciate all who check in on this blog, and read along with the daily readings. I hope that as we continue, we will have many more insightful comments on the passages that we are reading. We only have a few more weeks until we will finish the New Testament, and then we will start with some readings in the Old Testament, Lord willing.
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Week 21, Day 1: Preparing to Lead
Today’s Reading: 1 Timothy 4:1-5:25
Some thoughts from Friday’s reading…
In 1 Timothy 3, Paul writes to Timothy about his responsibility in appointing men to be elders and deacons, and giving him the instruction that he needed to identify those who were qualified for these positions of servitude. We often talk about these qualifications, evaluating men to see if they fit the requirements laid out by God through the apostle Paul. Many people have decided that the qualifications that are given are nothing more than general guidelines, and that God never really intended for men to possess all of them. Perhaps this is because so many people have lowered the bar when it comes to fulfilling God’s expectations that there are few people who actually fill the requirements! However, these qualifications should be taken as just that– a list of requirements that need to be filled for a man to be appointed into the office of an overseer.
If we understand these to indeed be qualifications, then it behooves us to work to train men to be qualified for these positions! How is there to be leadership in the Lord’s church if there are no men preparing themselves to lead? When we take a look at these qualifications, we should realize that it will take years of dedication and conscious effort to prepare ourselves to be elders. One will not accidentally find himself qualified without choosing to work toward the fulfillment of these requirements!
From a young age, Christian men should think about the need for them to develop themselves to be leaders in the Lord’s church. They must work toward having all of the qualities that are described by Paul in this chapter. That will include making good choices when it comes to the woman that he will marry, and the way in which he raises his children. It will demand that he learn to control his own demeanor. It will mean that he will have to work diligently to study the word of God, and develop himself to teach others. It will mean that he will have to develop the courage that is necessary to convict those who are teaching error, and to always stand for the truth. It means that he will have to develop a good reputation in his community, not having his neighbors speak evil of him because of the way that he acts. These things (and the rest described by Paul in these verses) will only come through hard work and disciplined behavior.
There is certainly a need for more qualified men to serve as elders in the Lord’s church. We must be more diligent to encourage young men to start thinking about their future responsibilities, and prepare themselves for the responsibilities of shepherding the flock of God some day!
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