What would you say to your 18-year-old self? How would you help him change his thinking? I've heard that phrase asked in many unique ways, but the best way to actually practice that injunction ... is to mentor a young man.
The other side of that is, if you were 18, you probably wouldn't listen. But Paul taught us how to reach those young men.
Paul wanted Timothy to be a champion for God's Kingdom. He taught Timothy the lessons he'd discovered and lived, and the attributes that would make Timothy effective, stalwart, and highly successful.
Remember that Paul's method was to show up in a community and preach Jesus until he got kicked out. Then he'd go to the house of a local follower of Jesus, and preach there until he was arrested or chased out of town - or both. Then he'd write letters to the believers in that community to help them work out their salvation. That's essentially how Paul established churches across the nations.
In a key moment of mentoring, Paul told Timothy to "preach the word," whether the time was right or not, whether people listened or not, whether it was difficult or effortless, safe or dangerous.
Then Paul said this about life balance: "But as for you, keep your balance in everything! Put up with suffering; do the work of an evangelist; complete the particular task assigned to you." 2 Timothy 4:5 NFTE
Here is Paul's "balanced life" lesson:
- Endure Hardship
- Keep Preaching
- Fulfill Your Mission
Paul made things happen. He wasn't worried or anxious about what others thought, the distance he would need to travel, or the pain of persecution or sleeping in a barn ... those were just inconveniences. They didn't matter. What mattered was:
SPEAK LIFE! PREACH JESUS! FULFILL YOUR CALLING!
Paul rested, Jesus rested. Paul had times with friends like Jesus did. So, he wasn't saying to forsake brotherhood and health and love. He was saying, "KEEP GOING."
