Good advice....

Paul’s last words, to his beloved apprentice, Timothy:

“Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 

Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. 

And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.”  (I Timothy 3:22-26, NIV)

So again, This is the last letter Paul ever wrote, and it was to his beloved young friend, Timothy. Timothy was probably a teenager or in his early twenties.  Paul understood that Timothy would be facing strong desires and less practice at self control because he was young.  We all are going through that or have run that gauntlet!  Those chemical changes that take place in a young man are new and a teenager is unaccustomed to these urges, and Paul wanted to offer some good counsel and direction to Timothy. And I expect Timothy listened—-he loved Paul an  was a good “step son”. I would add that sexual temptation is probably what Paul is speaking of here, specifically, while other passions, in general, were also being warned against. What were those passions?  Well, it would include, for young men, an impulse to get anger, to make quick and foolish judgments, and to be prideful.  These temptation and hankerings are a lot greater in one who has not been tempered by time and trials, and who is not made wiser by experience. I can tell from experience, that you cannot simply “repress” those urges and passions—or any other sin- you will find that the temper or the temptation is too strong and you fail—and that leads to another challenge—-depression.  The desires of youth—and other desires of the flesh even as adults— are to intense—-they cannot be corked up; instead that have to  be replaced by a greater and more satiating desire. You can’t merely turn from sin—you to turn toward something in its place—something far better. 

So Paul spells it out to Timothy for clearly.  Here’s the way to avoid temptation, the allure of what is not godly: Pursue—-or “chase and run after”— righteousness…faith….love…..and peace.   And I might add from experience, that each of these pursuits leads to the next pursuit!!!  Timothy already knew Jesus and a disciple of Paul, but soon Paul would be executed—Paul was going to be gone and he would not be there to direct his young apprentice.  But Paul knew that if Timothy’s  heart was pure, he would seek the right things and one would follow the other. You try it!  “Flee the evil desires of youth…..”  Are you too old to run away from bad things?  Or maybe you’re too young to understand  what Paul was attempting to teach Timothy? Well, it’s not changed in 4000 years. Teenagers and young adults have an insatiable desire for those things that give immediate pleasure and gratification. They take risks more mature folks don’t take, and often do not think that what they are doing—-with drugs, sex or dangerous thrills— might ruin their lives.   They don’t want to wait, don’t want to be told “no”, they don’t wear seatbelts, abide by curfews, read the instructions, avoid the guard rails, obey the speed limit signs, or give any notice to warnings on packages!  They tend to think that they know that they really need to know and therefor want “freedom” to do what they want…..when they want!        But for a moment, consider the spiritual, and eternal truths, that Paul presents here. If we put these things as our goal, our souls and hearts will be so full, and our attention so tasked with pursuing these things that the evil things can’t grab a hold of us! Number one: Pursue what is righteous!   That causes your faith to increase and you will in turn, pursue faith! A confidence in what God has done and what He is going to do!

That leads to love!  First, our eyes are opened to how much He loves us—-and we naturally find ourselves loving other people—-truly loving them!!!   And if we love like this, the world—-and our neighbors, won’t understand and will ask “why”, do you love people like you do!

And then we find how our soul—our entire being—pants and has an insatiable passion for peace! A passion that God—-and God alone can fill. His second point to Timothy is equally important for youth to hear—-and a reminder to the immature adult. “Stop listening to the stupid conspiracy theories(!), silly arguments, and all things that lead to quarrels!”  And yes, of course, there are things that we should argue about—-matters essential to the faith!  But the capacity to be quiet and listen to the other one that is speaking  is what is presently tearing our national government and some of our communities apart.  Yes, pay attention to the important stuff, but learn to let people have their own petty, silly and cherished ideas about things that do not matter!   Of course that’s the rub.  We would counter Paul here, and remind him that spiritual and noble things we believe in, are worth fighting and arguing about. But for a moment, just think about the things you fought about, just this past week—-perhaps even this morning.  Paul does not counsel Timothy to expose the stupidity of the  silly/unessential  people are about, but to simply avoid getting into the argument in the first place!       And that would probably include nearly all of our politics, most of the denominational differences, or the name of  best fast food restaurant.  I know of more than one person who I avoid when it comes to almost any  topic because her opinion is so dogmatic and aggressive. SHE knows the “best” restaurant in her town, and the best airline, and “real” story of JFK’s assassination, etc.   It’s just easier to let her blather than correct her or offer a different opinion.

Paul is advising Timothy to not argue and try to “prove” your point in non-essential matters, and when it is of the essential nature, be kind, and able to teach.  And I would add, don’t get your feelings hurt when the ones you love, that you are trying to teach, roll their eyes, ignore your words, and do the opposite of what you counsel.  It’s what teenagers and uneducated people do.

The third point to his beloved, adopted son, Timothy,  was this: “Those that are wrong should be treated gentle—-while we hope and pray that GOD, not you and me, might lead them to repentance!”  I need to remember, when I am tempted to get angry in an argument about something that is very important, that most of the time it is SATAN that I am fighting against!  If I keep that in my mind I can be  a bit more gracious and patient.  But there comes a point where the one that is wrong can begin to destroy Christian fellowship. You’ve seen it in churches or Bible Studies or at camp.  Somebody is patently wrong about their behavior, belief or attitude, and you gently confront them, and it does no good. Sad, but that happens. What to do?  Well, Paul said this in Titus: “But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.

Now that sounds tough, but it sometimes is the only way to keep peace in a family or Christian fellowship. We’re all free to think and act as we choose, but that does not mean that we must tolerate a friend’s  rudeness or foolish arguments ad nauseam.  At some point, we say, “that’s enough. I’ve asked you two times  to stop these crazy comments, and you won’t. I love you, but I am helping neither you or anyone else by receiving this……”. Now I’ve done this, and I can tell you that it’s not pleasant, easy or gratifying.  It’s all the opposite. I’ve been a bit down all weekend because I did this very thing to some folks I love very much. And their reaction was not gratitude or love, but rejection of me.  That’s what happens sometimes when we speak truth—-even when the truth is covered with love and delivered with as much meekness and gentleness as you can muster.

I pray daily for those that hate me, and almost all those that hate me are people I have tried my best to confront about sin and the errors of their lives.  Jesus did the same and some loved him all the more, and some picked up stones and tried to kill Him——-some of those folks eventually succeeded.

THE PSALM

“I will sing of your love and justice;  to you, Lord, I will sing praise.

I will be careful to lead a blameless life—when will you come to me? I will conduct the affairs of my house with a blameless heart.

I will not look with approval on anything that is vile. I hate what faithless people do;   I will have no part in it.

The perverse of heart shall be far from me;  I will have nothing to do with what is evil.

Whoever slanders their neighbor in secret,  I will put to silence; whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart,   I will not tolerate.

My eyes will be on the faithful in the land,  that they may dwell with me; the one whose walk is blameless will minister to me.

No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house; no one who speaks falsely will stand in my presence.

Every morning I will put to silence all the wicked in the land;  I will cut off every evildoer”  Psalm, 101