"You then, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus; and what you have heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will be able to teach others as well. Share in suffering like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving in the army gets entangled in everyday affairs; the soldier's aim is to please the enlisting officer. And in the case of an athlete, no one is crowned without competing according to the rules. It is the farmer who does the work who ought to have the first share of the crops. Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in all things."
(2Tim 2:1-7 NRSV)
Observation: Stay focused, play fair, and be faithful. These are the mandates for a honest worker of the Lord.
Like a soldier, God's man or woman must be true to their mission, focused, and unfaltering. Daily affairs are not for the warrior of Christ. Worries about the cares of life, fears about the future must be forsaken. True, they come at times. But they cannot be entertained. Fear must not take focus hostage. Rather Focus must be the ruler of fear in the warrior's life.
Like a seasoned athlete, the servant of the Lord must know the rules of life. They are a good sport. Their attitude and actions make them a strong team player on and off the field; at church events and in every day life. They are not concerned with who gets the glory. They desire team wins. They will even stop to help an opponent up from the floor or the field. They understand that the game is about more than just winning, it is also about how you play. They believe that character is the ultimate fruit of sport: determination, drive, diligence, and decisiveness; being able to make the right choice at the right time; standing tall under pressure; giving 110% even when you're loosing.
Finally, God's man or woman is like the faithful farmer. Rain or shine, they are working the field and anticipating a harvest. They are not deterred by nay-sayers. They understand their dependance on God's provision. When the ground is dry and cracked, when hail has reeked havoc, and disease has taken it's tole, they stay true to their calling. They scrap and they scrape, the plead and they pray, they stay faithful even when faith is gone. Because they have confidence that one day the harvest will be ripe; one day the ingathering will be great; one day they will partake of the fruit of their faithfulness. And, in that day, they will give thanks to God; for He truly is the grower and giver of all good things.
Application: Focus, Fair-play, and Faithfulness: Good words for my heart. Focus because sometimes I forget why I'm serving... I serving for the glory of God and the building up of the body.
Fair-play because at times I've blamed or been tempted to blame. God has spoken to my heart of late saying: "Take responsibility! When the team wins rejoice, and when the team looses take responsibility." How can I make my church a stronger team? How can I entrust responsibility and opportunity to the people around me?
Faithfulness because "He never said their only be sunshine... and he never said there'd be no rain." Outcomes are important, but they must not sway attitude and determination. True faithfulness finds strength in suffering. True faithfulness stands up in hard times. True faithfulness presses on when all seems hopeless.
Prayer: Jesus, give me the heart of a warrior. Lord Jesus fight for me. Lord Jesus give me the spirit of an athlete. Lord Jesus pinch hit for me. Lord Jesus give me the faithfulness of a farmer, Lord Jesus give growth to me. Both within and without.
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