A Worker with No Need to Be Ashamed

by Edwin Crozier

Text: II Timothy 2

“I want to be a worker for the Lord!”

I’ve sung that since I was a teenager. Perhaps you’ve got a long memory of that song as well. “I want to…be busy every day in the vineyard of the Lord.” Paul talks to Timothy about being a worker.

We see the intensity. Timothy’s work is like that of a soldier, an athlete, a farmer. As he does this intense work, Paul instructs him to do so in a way that avoids shame. He must make every effort and do his best. God will not primordially direct this work. Timothy must be active in the work. He must choose to work.

Further, he must choose to work in a way that presents himself as approved. Obviously, he can’t save himself. Paul does not mean that. Rather, he must work as an evangelist in an approvable way. Then Paul explains what that way is: handling the word of truth rightly.
Truth will set us free. Truth will set those who hear us free. Those who herald the Word of God must herald it accurately. Our job as heralds is not to make up a King’s message, but to faithfully convey the King’s message. We must avoid quarrels about words and irreverent babble. We must teach truth. We must direct people to hope in God. We must instruct people to abandon sin. Otherwise we will ruin our hearers and, no doubt, ourselves.

Further, we are to remind Christians of these things. Remind. Certainly, there is a time to teach people new things. Those hearing it for the first time need to hear it. But let us not think that when we teach truth, we must only teach it once. We must speak the truth over and again, reminding ourselves and our hearers of it. Only by so doing will we walk with people into the presence of God.

While Paul is speaking directly to Timothy about his work as an evangelist, let us all see ourselves in this instruction. Sometimes preachers get caught up in word-fights and irreverent babble because folks like to hear it. Whether we are preachers or not, let us steer clear of useless arguments and irreverent babble. Let us handle the Word properly and love to hear it handled that way.

God’s Word is incredible. Let us treat it that way.