Inside and Out

Please see the links to our EXTRA Bible Study notes at the bottom of the page.

Opening Prayer

God, Yours is the earth in all its fullness, and Yours is my life, with all its complications.

Read 2 Timothy 2:14-26

^[14] Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. ^[15] Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. ^[16] Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. ^[17] Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, ^[18] who have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. ^[19] Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.” ^[20] In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. ^[21] Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. ^[22] 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. ^[23] Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. ^[24] And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. ^[25] Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, ^[26] 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.

Meditate

If you listen to people’s questions and treat them respectfully, they will be more willing to hear what you have to say.

Think Further

Leadership involves a complex mix of skills and character. As Paul equips Timothy for his role, he emphasizes both. Timothy must be trusted as someone who can handle the truth, who explains it clearly and can discern the real from the counterfeit. Of equal importance is the attention he pays to his inner life. If he is to carry out the responsibilities of leadership in a way that will bless God’s people, he must take care of himself as well as the people under his care.

Leadership is relatively easy when all is going well, when everybody is on board and there is no challenge to the leadership. The test comes when there are disagreements, factions, and undermining of the vision. At that point character as much as understanding of the truth is called into play. Sadly, the church has too often mimicked the world in responding to such leadership challenges by hiding behind position and power rather than displaying the patience and purity that Paul prescribes for Timothy. The hallmarks of Timothy’s leadership are to be patient reiterating of the truth (reminding without becoming exasperated) and gentleness and kindness in correcting wrong thinking, in the belief that there is always the possibility that people can change. Behind this leadership must be someone who is making the decision to be pure, taking direct action to “flee” from temptations (22).

Timothy must have backbone, standing firm in a refusal to engage in unproductive talk. How many hours would we have saved if we had adopted that approach? Of course, we must never use Paul’s instruction as an excuse simply to close down criticism. Rather, we undercut all attempts to speculate or contradict God’s truth, refusing to engage in such a fruitless exercise.

Apply

If you are a leader yourself, reflect on your leadership decisions in the light of this passage. What do you need to work on?

Closing prayer

Lord, I know that sometimes I love to talk more than to listen. I know my talking can silence conversation and stifle healthy dialogue. Put a guard on my lips!

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