A Private Look (Albeit Undeserved)

Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.  Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them.  And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules.  And hardworking farmers should be the first to enjoy the fruit of their labor.  Think about what I am saying. The Lord will help you understand all these things. [2 Timothy 2.3-7]

I feel today like we, the church, by and large, do not deserve to read 2 Timothy.  

The instruction and encouragement directed to Timothy were, in fact, directed to Timothy.  I get no feeling whatsoever that the letter was to be read by anyone else but Timothy.  Things are discussed in this letter that no one but serious servants of the LORD could and would understand.  Things are discussed in this letter that are private and, really, should only have been between Paul and Timothy.

For reasons beyond any modern person's control however, we have this letter as part of the Bible.  As a result, we need to evaluate just what responsibility transfers to us as we look into this holy relationship between teacher and student, trainer and trainee, mentor and protege.  It is a privilege that, once again, I personally don't think we deserve.  

2 Timothy is a rare look into the intimacy between two early Christian workers.  Paul is not instructing the Church in this letter - he is addressing a mature and trusted apprentice in the ministry.  2 Timothy is no "company-wide" memo but rather a personal note that refers to circumstances and people that we know nothing about - situations that only Paul and Timothy were privy to.  

And yet, there is a plethora of information and training available to Christian servants today who, with respect and propriety, attempt to understand 2 Timothy.  I see nothing in 2 Timothy that needs to be preached to the general public.  On the other hand, in the most intimate Christian worker teaching setting, the content of this letter is invaluable.

Father, I consider it a privilege today to get to look into Paul's second letter to Timothy.  I think and even fear however, that I do not fully comprehend the content of this letter.  I feel much like a nosy outsider eavesdropping into a private address of which I have no part or business.  The responsibility for what I do with the information contained in this letter falls entirely upon me.  Help me to humbly learn from this writing and draw from its wisdom for my own intimate relationships.