Be a blessing

I’ve been reading a lot, it’s what pastors do. I’ve been all over my Bible like a miner digging for gold, trying to find something that could encourage me during this season.

Oh, I know the Gospel is gold and no doubt the truth that Jesus died on a cross and is alive today changes everything, so Jesus is the game changer. I don’t know. Maybe I was looking for a pro tip, like “Okay, now what?”

I bumped into 2nd Timothy on this “read the Bible journey” and I think I hit the mother vein. The Apostle Paul wrote this letter to a 30- to 40-year-old pastor named Timothy. Paul was his spiritual father and he loved Timothy and it shows in this letter. Obviously Timothy needed an emotional boost and God was good to provide it through a brother in Christ.

The first thing Paul says is hang in there, the same faith that your mother and grandmother had is in you so keep doing what you are doing (1:5-7). Then he says, “I’m doing okay despite my own hardships” (1:15-18).

Coach Paul then says, keep telling the truth to the church, continue to keep your own integrity (chapter 2)…but Timothy, it’s going to be hard as we get closer to Jesus coming back (3:1-9). In fact, people inside the church will be different. They will be hard to please, love themselves more than anything else and kids will be disobedient to their parents. (Ouch!)

Timothy knew about Paul’s own struggles so he knew to keep applying the Word of God to his life and he would be equipped to handle the future (3:10-17).

Paul then expresses his humanity. It’s one of my favorites, he tells Timothy to come and see him (4:9) and he adds a request, “When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus (glad my name is Ken) at Troas…” Later he adds, “Do your best to come before winter (4:21).”

Do you get it? “Dude, bring me my coat before it gets cold, please.” Paul is a spiritual rock star but he still needs his jacket. Maybe, it’s just me but I love that.

Here’s my point. We all need encouraging (we all get cold and need a coat), especially during this time. I have a friend who died recently. I’ve always thought it was wrong to only say nice things about people after they have died.

Here’s what I mean. I wrote a letter to my friend before he died and told him that I loved him, he was great and I appreciated his friendship more than he could ever know. Maybe this is the “okay now what” for all of us; invest in other people now and not later. Speak life (don’t just think about it, actually do it) and be a blessing.

We all need to be told it’s going to be okay because God’s got a plan (Jeremiah 29:11). People are struggling in a lot of ways so leave your comfort zone and do something good today for someone else (at least send a text message).

Did I say be a blessing? Because I meant to.

He told me to tell you that.