2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage–with great patience and careful instruction.

This, along with verse 5, is rather heart-wrenching when you realize that it was written shortly before Paul’s martyrdom. Verses 7 and 8 are justly famous as a triumphant declaration of our eternal reward, but before that there is this matter of Paul’s last advice to his spiritual son. You don’t say something casual in such a situation! This verse starts with declaring the Word of God. We associate preaching with a formal setting, such as in a church, but this is much broader than that. The Japanese says, “Declare the Word.” It also says, “Do this fully/properly, whether the time is good or bad.” We tend to make excuses for ourselves about when to speak God’s Word, but all such excuses are meaningless if God says to do it. And the things listed after this have nothing to do with whether someone is offended or not. We aren’t to hurt people needlessly, but we must never draw back from what God is saying because someone’s feelings might be hurt. One of the biggest demonic lies prevalent today is in putting feelings ahead of truth. Feelings don’t affect truth! We use the expression, “truth hurts,” and that’s often the case. I’ll say again that we aren’t to hurt people needlessly, and we certainly aren’t to gloat over how our words might be painful to someone, but if God is saying to speak, we are not to draw back. We often forget that evangelism, for example, requires that we “get someone lost” before they can be saved, as an American evangelist once told me. That is to say, they have to realize and accept that they are a sinner headed for hell before they are going to repent and believe for their salvation. It can take some pretty strong words to accomplish that, but the result is bringing someone from death to life, and that’s certainly worth doing. That Paul would say this to Timothy shortly before his own execution gives it real punch. We too need to be done with excuses and get with God’s program!

And of course, I’m preaching to myself here. In my youth I sometimes used words as weapons, deliberately hurting people with them, and I certainly had to repent of that, even though I was lashing out from it having been done to me. Now, I’m more likely to be silent, or at least not say the necessary things, because I want people to like me and not feel offended by me. That means I love myself more than I love them, and Jesus said we are to love others equally with ourselves. Also, if God is telling me to say something and I fail to do it, that means I don’t fully love Him! (John 14:15) I am to speak the truth in love, certainly, but falsehood is not love, and I must not say pretty platitudes when someone needs correction. I have never been a “hellfire and brimstone” preacher, but I must not sugar-coat reality to the point that people fail to repent and believe.

Father, this is a strong Word. Help me respond to it as You desire and intend, so that the devil’s lies may be demolished and people be set free indeed, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!