20 Days in 2 Timothy

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. Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

2 Timothy 2:3-7

How do you be a disciple in the midst of a difficult day? That’s what we have been learning from Paul by journeying through his letter to Timothy. Today’s reading is interesting because while we may have come to it hoping for practical steps (don’t worry, they will come later), today’s reading has Paul basically giving his young disciple a motivational speech.

We usually associate speeches like this with athletes and soldiers, maybe from movies or documentaries. So, at first glance, we could be dismayed or even dismissive, wondering why Paul wouldn’t just get to the good stuff and tell us what to do. But athletes and soldiers are important to study because these men and women have done the math and counted the cost. In other words, they have a goal, and even though it might be painful and cost them something, they believe that pursuing that goal is worth whatever hardship may come their way.

"He who has a why can bear most any how." -Friedrich Nietzsche, German philosopher.

Let’s start here today. When you put your faith in Jesus and decided to make your life all about Him, did you consider what it would cost you? Even today, as you are studying how to be a faithful disciple in a difficult day, what does that mean to you, and what are you willing to lay down or experience in order to pursue such a worthy goal? For many of us, our desire to live a life with Jesus can shift towards a desire for a comfortable life with a sure destination after its completion, but that’s not what Jesus has called us to do. If we are serious about leveraging our lives on behalf of the Gospel of Jesus we have to be willing to pay the cost that associating with that Jesus will require. Are you willing to share in that suffering?

If so, Paul gives three illustrations of how we can share in the suffering. Each example has a role, a requirement, and a reward.

• Soldiers - Soldiers don't get involved with civilian affairs; they don’t get distracted by the things that other everyday people do. Why? They are on a mission. What does this mean for you? You will have to sacrifice the urge or temptation to jump at every opportunity that comes your way. You’ll often have to sweep to the side participating with or acting like the people of this world who are not on the same mission. This is how you earn the right to please the one who enlisted you, who called you. This is how you honor King Jesus.
• Athletes - Athletes compete according to the rules and adhere to the training. They commit themselves to setting aside unhealthy habits for the sake of maximizing their ability and opportunity. An athlete may even look at something that is good and sacrifice it for the sake of what is best. Why? Because they know the reward that is before them. All of the hard work, long hours, and dedication is to achieve a singular goal. What goal is before you? An eternal crown to the glory of Christ our King.
• Farmers - Lastly, farmers are diligent in their nonstop hard work. They prune and reap; they sow and harvest. They watch over the fields and scare away pests who try and steal what isn’t theirs. Why? Because the harvest is their most important and worthwhile mission, and when the time comes they are the first to get to the crop. They get to enjoy what they have invested in. What does this mean for you? A meaningful life, full of witnessing God work time and time again in the lives of people as you fulfill your mission to hold fast to the word of God and pass it on to them.

All of these illustrations detail a cost that we will have to pay in order to share in the suffering of Christ and be on mission for Him. So, why would we possibly take on such a role? Because there are benefits the world knows nothing of. This is the greatest of all causes: to be associated with Jesus Christ. If soldiers, athletes, and farmers do it for a physical cause, let us do it for an eternal one.