“But you, remain faithful…” -2 Timothy 3:14
The advice is simple and blunt, but it’s just what we need to hear: Paul’s advice to Timothy to remain faithful to what he learned and believes. Timothy was immersed in scripture and in faith since childhood. He knows that the word of God gives “wisdom for salvation.” It’s just that Paul needed to remind the young Timothy of this fact of the faith. He needed encouragement.
Which is what we need too sometimes—encouragement in the faith. Looking around, at times we can struggle with faith as frustrations, disappointments, and doubts stack up. The thought, the exhausted inkling, to give up tempts us. Beaten down by life or controversies, we just want to give up caring; we tell ourselves it might be easier if we stopped caring about the faith and the moral and social demands the faith puts on us. It’s why we too need a Paul; why we need to hear it too: “But you, remain faithful!” Because it’s hard sometimes to keep the faith in a world that belittles it.
And so, hear it from me. And let’s hear it from each other. Let’s be Paul to one another. “But you, remain faithful!” Let’s encourage one another thus! I know it’s hard to be a Christian. I know it’s frustrating and confusing sometimes in the Church. Nonetheless, remain faithful! Trust that what we believe is true, that Christ is Lord of heaven and earth and all history, and that the Holy Spirit rules the Church. And trust too that it’s not our job to govern history, to run the show and make things come out right, but only to be faithful. Remember that if we’re faithful, God will take care of the rest. Because he’s the only one who actually can take care of it, all of it—not just the alpha but the omega too.
My football coach Dad used to tell his linemen, “Just worry about the man in front of you. The game will take care of itself.” I’ve always remembered this, because it’s good advice for Christians and not just football players. Take care of what’s in front of you: your faith in God and your love of neighbor. Keep it simple and stay strong! Because it’s how we’ll remain faithful (sane too) until the kingdom comes—when our faith will finally find its reward in that thing called glory, in heaven for the faithful.
