S. 2 Timothy 4:2 “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage - with great patience and careful instruction.”
O. Paul instructs Timothy (a young pastor) to be ready at all times in preaching God’s Word. There are times when Timothy will have to give correction (discipline, exposing to be wrong), rebuke (reprove, charging one with wrong), and encouragement (comfort from closely walking with). That being said, Paul is teaching Timothy that no matter what it is he needs to do, he needs to do it with great patience and instruction.
No matter the pushback from preaching and serving Christ, Timothy is to show great patience and carefully teach. That’s what preparedness is. Timothy is an example to other pastors / Christian leaders to carefully teach and show great patience to others who may be the ones pushing back on the Gospel of Christ Jesus.
A. As a believer of Jesus Christ and a pastor, I may not enjoy some of the pushback that people might have when I share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, my “preparedness” is finding ways to continue to share that show patience and carefuleness. There may be times I need to be firm and defend the Gospel, I can do this with a care and patience that will not detract from the character of Christ Jesus (humility, grace, non judgmentalism and love).
In my “preparedness” I should not be surprised that not all will respond well to the preaching of God’s Word and thereby have given thought to how I can positively stand firm for God’s word. May any rebuke i might need to give, be done so with love, grace and seeks to gently instruct so as to bring those to a closer relationship with Jesus (Eph. 4:15, Colossians 4:6)
P. Thank you Father for your word today. Holy Spirit fill me and guide me to faithfully proclaim your word. Grant me wisdom in being ready to patienty and carefully correct, rebuke and encourage. In Jesus’ name!
