“What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

2 Timothy 2:2:, CSB

In this letter, Paul is writing to Timothy as a very vulnerable friend who is awaiting his execution. Paul was getting his affairs in order, so his ministry could continue even though he was no longer going to be around. Throughout this letter, there are many, many imperatives from Paul to Timothy. But this specific verse (2:2) is my absolute favorite.

Why?

Because is shows us the most basic principle for living the Christian life. The most basic principle for living the Christian life is to take what we’ve learned and share it with faithful men who will then share it with others also. In other words, its discipleship. Making disciples should be the most basic activity in a Christian’s life.

Paul was writing to Timothy to give him instructions on how to continue the ministry. His instruction was to take what Timothy had learned from him and then to  pass it on to other men who would then teach others also. All of us should be investing in others. Just as Paul invested his life into Timothy, we should find people in our church to mentor and invest our lives in, for they may be the ones to continue our ministries once we are gone. However, we should also be teaching the ones we invest in how to invest in others also. No ministry will continue if the leaders do not pass it down to the next generation.

Many of us struggle with the will of God for our lives. If you are unsure of the will of God, you can be comforted by these words from Paul to Timothy. This is the means by which God will advance His Kingdom – people investing in people who invest in people and so on.

We have the most wonderful news to share and yet we have the hardest time sharing it. Granted, there are many who reject the great news we share and that simply comes with the territory. But I firmly believe if we will ask God to send people our way to share the gospel with and to invest in, he will answer our prayers and give us those to teach to carry on the Church for another generation.