I wonder about Paul’s child in the faith, Timothy, if he suffered from a misunderstanding of humility. I wonder because of certain personal instructions Paul gives in the two letters addressed to Timothy. Christians sometimes think that humility means to be passive, unassertive, and even inactive. They think humbleness means non-resistance. If that is what Timothy thought then we can understand some of the coaching Paul gave him. Paul urged in his first letter, “This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight (1:18). Paul ended the letter with the same urging, “Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, . . .” (6:12). The second letter to Timothy immediately picks up this same theme. “God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline”(1:7). In the second chapter of that letter he calls upon Timothy to “be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2:1), and then calls for him to “suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus” (2:3). Paul finishes the second letter with further instruction for Timothy to operate from a position of confident strength. “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction” (4:1-2).
Another misunderstanding by Christians is that humility requires that we forgo achievement, initiative, and excellence. Once again, I suspect Timothy needed Paul to teach him that humility does not mean that. Paul clearly describes humble behavior throughout both letters to Timothy, but has a need to challenge Timothy to step up to the plate and knock a homerun. In the first letter Paul says, “Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather . . . show yourself an example of those who believe” (4:12). He follows that with: “Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you” (4:16). In his second letter Paul admonishes, “be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed” (2:15).
Paul was an humble man and taught Timothy by word and example how to be humble. It seems to me, though, he had to help Timothy understand these two things about humility. The unselfish, devoted, humble life for a bond-slave of Jesus Christ is not one of weakness and failure. It is a life of strength and diligence. I trust Paul will forgive me if I put unintended words into his mouth. But, I can almost hear him firmly speaking to Timothy: get your lazy self up, stop listening to foolishness (2:2:23), stop doubting your calling and God’s gift within you, “endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry!”(2:4:5). It is a lesson many need to be taught about the humble life.
Posts
