PURSUE AND AVOID
2 TIMOTHY 2:22-23
2 TIMOTHY 2:22-23 NKJ
22 Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23 But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.
OBSERVATION:
As you read First and Second Timothy, keep in mind that Paul viewed Timothy as a son in the faith. To our knowledge, Paul had no physical children of his own, so you can easily surmise that Timothy was dear to his heart.
But Paul did not soften things up for Timothy. He was straightforward in telling him to endure hard times like a soldier of the Lord.
In our passage for today, we hear Paul's warnings to his young protege on what to pursue and what to stay away from.
Flee, youthful lusts. I like the New Living Translation that says run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. And that is accurate. The Greek word for flee means to run from. So don't mess around with things that can tempt you; run from them.
And pursue. The word pursue means to follow hard after, to press, to go after in order to obtain. Pursue righteousness which would include living right before God. Purse faith, without which we can't please God. Follow after love, the commandment Jesus gave us, that we love one another. And peace, which would include walking in God's peace and walking in peace with fellow believers.
To press and follow hard after these four things would certainly keep Timothy occupied, but Paul had one more thing.
Avoid foolish and ignorant disputes. The reason being that these arguments start fights. Maybe not fist fights, but a war of words can also be quite damaging.
APPLICATION:
I find it amazing that the wisdom of two thousand years ago is still totally relevant today.
Today there are still lusts we need to run away from. I would imagine we are even more bombarded with temptations than young Timothy faced.
Today we will live strong if we pursue and press after the four qualities Paul cited.
And we have watched social media provide an entirely new platform from which to engage in foolish and ignorant disputes. So, the same lessons ring true today. Pursue and avoid.
PRAYER:
Dear Lord help me recognize what to avoid and what to follow hard after. And help me carry out those decisions.