An Example!

An Example!

1 Timothy 4:12 KJV

[12] Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

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Paul was writing here to his son in the faith, Timothy. At the time, this relationship would have been frowned at by the Jewish elders. Here was a young man whose mother was a Jew but his father was Greek; that would have excluded Timothy from the benefits naturally accruing to Jews by birth. Even the Jews of that time would have made their opinions known, which was why Paul had to circumcise him, just to make him acceptable to the Jews. That was the start of the life of Timothy, and that could have shaken the faith of anyone else. Thank God for the influence of Paul and Silas who stood by Timothy, encouraging him in the new faith and life he had come to believe in. The past could be anything at all: uncomfortable, irritating or outrightly bad. We may have had nasty experiences in the past, but God uses anything and anyone to mold and fashion us into what He can use. 

He is the only One who is able to turn the biggest mess into the loudest message of grace. Paul, the inspired writer of the words above, is a great example of the outward manifestation of the inward work of God in the life of a man. The message in the verse above is directed at all of us who have come from different backgrounds into common faith in Christ. Do not let anyone's view about your past keep you in bondage; the opinions of men do not count when grace has spoken. Men may think that because of position, privilege, power or possessions, they have the right to speak into your life, but thank God because men do not have the final word on a life that God has created. Consider the areas that Paul referred to in the verse above: word, conversation, charity, spirit, faith, and purity. Some are the obvious outward manifestations of the inner presence of God. 

You cannot set the right tone in word or conversation, unless you have submitted the tongue to the control and influence of the Holy Spirit. Charity, or love, as other versions put it, is a manifestation of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. You cannot have/show it without having its origin or source living in you. When God has done a work inside me, the outward evidence cannot be ignored. Men of the world need to be challenged, in order to make them see the difference in their own lifestyles, and that which pleases God and is acceptable to Him. Even to fellow believers, I must be an example, so that they can be encouraged to hold on and press on. Who could have pictured the impact of Paul and Silas on the life of Timothy, who is now on permanent record as being involved in the letters to the churches in Philippi, Colosse, Thessalonica and the personal letter to Philemon. Do not despise the days of small beginnings. When God is involved, there is no limit to how far He can carry you. God's time of favour is here. 

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