Staying Focused.2 Timothy 2:3-6.
Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops.
Dear People of whom the World Is not Worthy,
Discipline is important in all aspects of life. Paul encourages Timothy to adhere to discipline and gives him three illustrations of personal discipline.
Control: The Discipline of a Soldier (vv. 3-4). There are many attractions in the civilian world – pleasure, business, politics, to mention a few. The soldier must give those the cold shoulder and subject himself to hardship instead because he must please the one who enlisted him. The soldier does not “follow his heart.” He is controlled by his choices by another. Likewise, as believers, we are controlled by the will of Christ for us.
Conformity: The Discipline of an Athlete (v. 5). Athletics is competitive and the point of it all is to be crowned the victor. In order for this to happen, the athlete not only has to be better than others but also has to stick to the rules. A slight infringement of a minor regulation can lead to disqualification. Likewise, effective service to God must adhere to the standards that he has put in place for his servants, lest one “should be disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27).
Consistency: The Discipline of a Farmer (v. 6). Farming is not for the impatient. The farmer toils from dawn to dusk, for days, weeks, months on end. Some crops take more than half a year before they are ready for harvest. Anyone looking for quick results should try cookery or carwash. But farming does deliver if the farmer keeps at it. As servants of God, it is easy to get discouraged when we do not see immediate results. We should not let up and should relentlessly work hard. When the harvest comes, we will have the rights to the first pickings.
Your Loving Pastor Chris.