Snippets

“With great patience and careful instruction.” (2 Timothy 4:2, NIV 1984).

My Musings – Some things just scream for context. The above comic is not one of them. Clearly the husband is not being careful with his instruction, and the wife is not showing great patience. Or has she?

The snippet from 2 Timothy on the other hand needs its context. And it is surrounded by context. First, “preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage.” (2 Timothy 4:2, NIV 1984). All too often we preach, correct, rebuke, and even “encourage” with very little instruction or patience. Second, “for the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine.” (2 Timothy 4:3, NIV 1984). Clearly careful instruction is required to correct and rebuke those not putting up with sound doctrine and encourage those thinking that their life might be easier if they didn’t have to follow sound doctrine. And it might be hard for us to show great patience with either.

My Advice – Come to think of it, the surrounding context screams for the snippet. Don’t forget it with the “context” of your life.