1 Timothy_6
1 Timothy 6:11-1211 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Toke hold of the eternal life to which you were called…ObservationPaul, writing to Timothy, begins Chapter 6 with lessons of respect, servanthood and warning against the love of money. Then, he submits his final charge.UnderstandingI love what Pastor Gary shared yesterday about us being called to be “agents of grace.” Ruth is a tremendous example of what Paul writes here – faithful, full of love, having endured loss. She was an example of fighting the good fight of faith. Looking at the circumstances, it may have been easy to fall into a “woe is me” type of outlook – she lost her husband, was a foreigner in an unknown land, a lone woman left to care for herself and for Naomi. This charge and Ruth’s example are good for all of us. A reminder of what it means to live out true faith, trust in God, knowing that He will provide…resting and working in His love. We may be living in similar times – where the world around us is doing what is right in their own eyes; but we are called to set ourselves apart, to share God’s grace and love…even with those that may make it challenging. Life ApplicationMake this charge my own. Fight the good fight of the faith. God, I’ve been distracted lately. And I think that’s as much of the fight of faith as anything – remaining focused on you and what you’ve called me to do. Help me to fight the good fight of faith with endurance – pursuing righteousness and godliness, showing love and gentleness. In your name, I pray. Amen.