Day 2362 of the 7 day Bible verse challenge.


2 Timothy 2:4 NIV

This is without a doubt one of my favorite verses! It's one that I think about constantly. It always helps keep me focused when other things are trying to trip me up. I really think that this is one of those messages that we all need to keep in mind these days. We're constantly surrounded by people and things that are trying to get our attention. But the truth is that nearly all of it is nothing but a pointless distraction. All the anger, all the filth, all the social unrest, all of the divisions and disagreements only pull us in the wrong direction and make it harder to do what we're here to do.

We're here to serve Christ. Not those around us. Not the latest headline. Not the newest outrage. Not the opinions of the masses. Not the world's desire to run wild and carefree. But so often those are the very things that we focus on the most. We spend more time worrying about what some politician is doing than we do thinking about ways that we could be making a difference. We're more focused on what some stranger might be thinking about us than we are on trying to please our Father. We stay caught up on the news but are we making sure to tune in for some time with Him?

The fact is that each of us have job to do. We have a responsibility to those around us. We are on a mission and we cannot afford to let other things take our time and energy away from fulfilling it. While all this worldly stuff may seem important, it cannot begin to compare with the importance of sharing Christ and His Gospel. It just comes down to priorities. What matters most to us? Is it making people like us? Is it staying up to date on what so and so is doing somewhere? Is it trying to avoid rocking the boat? Is it not wanting to stand out? Or is it something more than all of that?

We are soldiers of Christ and our mission is to be His hands and feet carrying His message of repentance and salvation. We have to stop letting other things come before that! We have to stop allowing this world to pull us back into the fold where we're not meant to be. We are not here to be like this world or do as it does. We're called to be different and follow a much different path. So stop letting people pull you back into the place and way of life that we're called to leave behind. The simple fact is that we cannot be like this world or continue to be consumed with worldly things and serve Him at the same time. This world and His calling are polar opposites and we have to choose which one we're going to follow.

Just know that trying to be like the world or make people like us will only pull us away from Him. It will require us to ignore who He calls us to be and what He needs us to do. This place will never run out of things that we're told to pay attention to. People will never stop coming up with new requirements that need to be met to earn their approval. But none of that matters anyway. All that truly matters is living our lives to please God. People won't like us for it. We'll be judged and made fun of. It will feel strange and awkward when our paths diverge from those around us. We will see things, do things, say things, and understand things differently than most. But that's okay.

Always remember that this world is not our home and pleasing the masses is not our job. Our home is in Heaven and our job is sharing Christ with the world. All this other stuff may matter to a lot of people, but what we all need more than anything is a relationship with our Lord and Savior. Nothing will ever be more important than Him. And we can't risk being pulled into being someone or doing something that jeopardizes the duty we have to be more like Christ and less like the world. After all, what's more important: pointing people to a world that's passing away or to a Savior that never will?

Comments

  1. marcieAugust 11, 2021 at 11:34 PM

    Very good verse and very good post. Something I personally need to make sure of. We only have so much time here, use it wisely and put him above everything else.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. KyleAugust 12, 2021 at 7:32 PM

      Thank you!! This one was definitely something that I needed to hear myself. There are an endless amount of different things to pay attention to in life. And many of them are important. But we can't let anything become more important than Him.

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