I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

2 Timothy 4:1-5

We have two lessons from this passage. First, don’t neglect the teaching of God. We may not all be teachers, but looking to His word for guidance is essential for our day to day spiritual walk. We must be ready in season and out of season, like Paul instructed Timothy.

But we should also guard ourselves that we do not become like the people that Paul was warning about, seeking to accumulate teachers to suit our own passions. This, too, is a kind of preparedness. Beyond that, it is a chance to reflect more fully on our relationship with God; does it exist for His Glory or our benefit only?

Ethan Kirl

Originally Published August 18, 2021