Timing Is Everything (Friday Devotional)

 

Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 

- 2 Timothy 4:2

I haven’t eaten any ice cream this week. I haven’t had a popsicle either, nor have I been in the mood for a smoothie or an iced coffee.

What I have had is oatmeal at breakfast, chili at dinner, and hot tea at all hours of the day. It’s not a mystery why, of course—in a week where most of the country, including Texas, has been dealing with freezing temperatures, certain kinds of foods sound better than others. You don’t want a frozen treat when it’s icy outside, you want comfort food. Certain foods are reserved for certain times.

What is not limited by the seasons is evangelism. In some of his final instructions at the end of 2 Timothy, Paul commands his friend to be prepared to proclaim the gospel “in season and out of season.” In other words, there are times when it’s easy to talk about Jesus and other times when it’s less comfortable—but whether it feels like the right time or not, we should never be ashamed to bear witness to the grace of God.

Our world needs to hear about Jesus, and we have been given the commission to tell them. Faced with that need and that responsibility, we ought to have a sense of urgency, not fret about proper timing. This isn’t chili and ice cream—the time is now!