By David ReayFriday 27 Oct 2017LifeWords DevotionalsFaithReading Time: 0 minutes
Transcript:
Read Philippians 2:19-23
19-23 But I hope in Jesus Christ that it will not be long before I can send Timothy to you, and then I shall be cheered by a first-hand account of you and your doings. I have nobody else with a genuine interest in your well-being. All the others seem to be wrapped up in their own affairs and do not really care for the business of Jesus Christ. But you know how Timothy has proved his worth, working with me for the Gospel like a son with his father. (JBP)
Isn’t it good to come across people who are generally reliable, people who keep commitments, people who show up even when it might not be convenient? It could be said that we live in an age of passing enthusiasms. People are more inclined to embrace a one-off cause than support a good work regularly. People are more apt to agree to something knowing they can readily bail out if they change their mind or get too busy.
Paul was aware that too many people were concerned for themselves. Others came a distant second. God’s work was fitted in when possible. He valued people like Timothy who was a dependable colleague. He turned up; he did what he said he would do.
Sadly that is not always the case in church life. People can lose interest in a commitment when the initial excitement fades. People can take on too much and so end up achieving too little. People can figure that their presence or involvement is not necessary and so bail out. And they can use that most tiresome of excuses, I am so busy. Not realising that busyness is usually something they inflict on themselves.
Reliability and dependability don’t seem like magnetic qualities. But for many of us, they are the core qualities of what makes a person a good friend, a healthy church member, and above all a godly human being.
Blessings
David Reay