Life can be very complicated and confusing without knowing your purpose. I’ve seen many people wander around, going from job to job, moving from place to place, and never finishing projects. Some of these people have tons of incomplete projects in their wake. We may ask why? Obviously, they’re looking for something to fill their deepest needs. We know that what they really need is Jesus. I think there’s another piece to this puzzle… and that’s to know their purpose. Knowing one’s purpose untangles the complicated and makes things clear and orderly.
For the Christian, we never have to live in that purposeless state because the Bible tells us what our purpose is. Our verse tells us that we are here to BRING GLORY TO GOD. This purpose is for ALL OF US. We are to bring God glory – honor – in everything. Not in just my Christian circles, when I feel like it, or when it’s easy… but ALWAYS and in EVERYTHING. That means in my words, my actions, my responses, and the details of my life.
We may ask… Okay, I get it, but what does that look like? Well, Paul sums it up pretty well for young Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:11-12: “But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you.” Obviously, I could expound on this at great length, but let’s just summarize – through these verses – what the Christian like should look like. Here are three things…
Run from evil! The writer of Hebrews says it this way: “Strip off every weight that slows you down, especially the sin that trips you up” (Hebrews 12:1). I’m fairly certain that each of us have things that are slowing us down… things that have grabbed our time and attention… things that are hindering us. Paul says to run away from those things. Why? Because we cannot move forward or pursue what’s important still being weighted down with those things.
Pursue! If we could sum up what Paul is saying here, it would be this: Pursue a godly life. And to do that we need to pursue a deeper faith, a stronger love for God and His people, perseverance in our trials, and gentleness. I think it’s interesting that the word gentleness is in this list. In fact, Peter tells women that having a “gentle and quiet spirit” is what will win over her unbelieving husbands (1 Peter 3:4). He goes on to say that this is what truly pleases the Lord. People respond to gentleness much more than harshness, don’t you agree?
Fight! Paul is talking to Timothy about fighting for the TRUE faith. This is something that is needed in the church today because of the great deception, cultural pressure, and the lies permeating college campuses and churches. On Sunday, I noticed a young girl walking out of church. I noticed she was carrying a bag we give to first-time guests. I began a conversation with her. She told me that she is a college student and is looking for a church. I told her of the way young people are going off to college and deconstructing their faith… questioning everything they have been taught, and often coming home as agnostics or atheists.
I commended her for keeping her faith and fighting for it. I encouraged you to make Jesus the first and most important part of her life as pursues her education at a secular university. We had a meaningful conversation. There are many things we should fight for, but nothing more important than the TRUTH of the gospel. I hope this encourages you today.