After some weird winter weather, we have made it to SPRING! And to a lot of folks, Spring means baseball! With the exception of 2020, Pro baseball players have always begun their year by going to Spring Training. (And in the summer, Pro football players attend training camp.) Coaches and trainers are engaged, and every resource is provided to help maximize a team’s potential. Athletes use all kinds of training regimens to get into shape and be prepared for the challenges they face. They work out every day in order to be able to perform at the highest levels. In the Spring of 64 AD or so, Paul encouraged Timothy to do the same thing, but with a different end in mind.
The Exhortation
“Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come… Command and teach these things. Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” (1 Timothy 4:7-8, 11-12)
Paul was advising Timothy about how to be an effective pastor, but his counsel carries a few good words of advice for all of us no matter what our vocation. 1) Don’t be distracted by what you hear in the media, social or otherwise. There’s a lot a misinformation floating around out there, so concentrate on the good stuff.
2) Train yourself to be godly. Godliness apparently doesn’t just happen magically, and Paul says that you can pursue it like an athlete pursues fitness.
Would you say that you are in training to be godly? What is your daily regimen? What are your goals? How hard do you work? Training doesn’t just happen; it requires thought and effort. Paul points out that physical fitness has value, but that spiritual fitness is something you will carry not only through this life but the life to come.
I get mail from my gym on a regular basis encouraging me to engage the services of a personal fitness trainer. Many people think nothing of spending money to help achieve their physical fitness goals, but does anyone ever think of spending time and money to achieve SPIRITUAL fitness goals? Have you ever thought of doing that?
Equipping the Called
3) “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young”. Paul wanted to encourage Timothy as a young pastor, but I see this as a fill-in-the-blank verse. There are always naysayers and obstacles to overcome in this life, and Paul is saying that they pale in comparison to the high calling of God.
“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are __________.” Fill in the blank: Not trained. Too old. Inexperienced. Damaged goods. Too ordinary. Too Out of the ordinary. You fill it in. There’s a saying that God doesn’t call the equipped, but He equips the called.
The Example
4) “Be an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.” I think that list covers just about everything. Training to be godly has results. If you’d like to reflect these actions and values, work on it. Keep training!
Spring Into Training
Paul tells Timothy that athletes work hard on their fitness,
And challenges him to work out just as hard to be a witness.
Physical training has some value, but spiritual training brings
A godliness, the growth of which brings value to ALL things.
Equip yourself with habits. Every day you can begin
By having time alone with God, to build you from within.
So train your spiritual self, work out! And build your spiritual pecs
Since godliness has value, both in this world and the next!
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