It is often said, “It is not what you get out of life but rather what you give that makes one truly joyful and content.” Winston Churchill went as far as to say, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Unfortunately, for many Christians today, the focus is on what they can get. It is common to hear statements after a church service such as, “That service was great. I was able to get a lot out of it.” That sounds positive but you also hear statements such as, “That service was not good. I got nothing out of it at all.” Neither statement is positive because we should approach attending a church service with what we can give, rather than what we can get. For many people, their entire Christian life is about what they get, not what they give. It is easy to abandon our faith when the getting begins to dry up.
II Timothy is generally regarded as the last letter written by the apostle Paul, at least the last letter canonized in Scripture. Paul is writing from prison to a young man into whom he had poured much of his life. Paul realizes that his life is coming to an end and challenges Timothy with many things that we need to pay attention to, as well. In II Timothy 2:2, we see four levels of discipleship. First, Paul reminds Timothy of what he has taught him. He then instructs Timothy to teach other trustworthy people. Not only trustworthy people, however, but trustworthy people that will be able to pass these teachings on to others. This is what would ensure the Christian faith would continue to grow from generation to generation.
Every Christian needs three different types of people in their life. We each need a Paul; someone who will invest in our lives and challenge us to grow in our Christian faith. We also need a Timothy; someone into whom we can pour our lives. The third person we need is a Barnabas; a peer who encourages us consistently.
Upon reflection, answer the following questions:
- Why do you believe that Christianity, at least in America, has become so me-focused? What are some things a church can do to help others become more Christ-focused and others-focused?
- What has discipleship looked like in your life? Share about a time in your life when you experienced tremendous spiritual growth.
- Who is a Paul in your life? How have they poured into you? Who is a Timothy in your life? What are you doing to pour into them? Who is a Barnabas in your life? Who is always encouraging you?
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