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.“
The Apostle Paul offered vital, wisdom-filled information for the difficult times ahead in the second of two letters to Timothy, a young man who was a trusted partner in his missions and was described as a son in the faith.
His words are still of great value in making us aware of those people and attitudes we will encounter in the last days. Here, Paul provides how one should preach or give God’s instructions. He basically says to be ready at all times, to correct, rebuke, and encourage in delivery.
When correcting someone’s error, the actual truth is to be given. Rebuking someone is an authoritative or formal way of telling someone they have done something wrong and need to correct it. Encouraging someone would be giving them courage, hope, and confidence so they feel able to do something or keep trying.
In teaching the truth of the Bible, it should be communicated not just with patience but with “great” patience and “careful” instruction. The goal is to be able to plant the seed of the Lord’s instructions, not to be disrespectful or offensive.
Nevertheless, some people may be offended by anything spoken from the Bible, which sometimes can’t be avoided apart from not speaking. Sometimes, people will not want to hear what you have to share, but only what they want to hear.
This message was necessary for Paul to teach as he highlighted that the time would come when people wouldn’t embrace sound doctrine. But, instead, to suit their own desires, they would gather around them many teachers to say what their itching ears wanted to hear, resulting in turning their ears away from the truth, to myths (2 Timothy 4:3-4); meaning accepting false stories, man-made fiction, or deceptive ideas.
Paul knew, as many of us know today, that people wouldn’t always desire to hear the truth of the Bible, and we should be prepared for that occurrence as well. Yet Paul encouraged Timothy to keep his head in all situations, to endure hardship, doing the work of an evangelist, discharging all the duties of his ministry (2 Timothy 4:5).
God has given us the fruit of self-control by His Holy Spirit, and walking by the Spirit in communicating the Lord’s teachings is necessary in representing Him well and making an impact on the listeners. Sometimes, people may be offensive and disrespectful in their response to what you share, but we are to endure with a lot of patience and carefully continue with all the responsibilities God has given us in ministry.
Ms. Rita's Minute 