2 Timothy 2

Timothy appears to have been discouraged.  Paul's exhortation to be strengthened in Christ's grace, let others help teach, suffer difficulty like a good soldier would, hang in there and earn the reward of obedience.  Paul continues with the encouragement of dying for Christ means living with Him, enduring yields co-regency with Christ and Christ is faithful despite our reliability.  (A warning of denying Christ brings a denial of us by Christ.)  Timothy must be a workman who accurately handles God's Word, instructive, patient when wronged, gently correcting, not quarrelsome, and the list continues.  Tim really seemed to need a word of how to do his job...what to avoid and what to embrace. 

Paul continues with a word against "wrangling about words," avoiding worldly chatter and ungodly talk and refusing ignorant speculations.  Tim struggling with words receives a note from his spiritual father which says, in essence, "No more stupid talk!"  

How am I to receive that word today?  Where am I struggling in doing my job because of words?  Where am I engaged in "stupid talk" and not being diligent in my assignment?  How do I allow others words to derail me from the Kingdom's service? Why am I not discerning enough to recognize  a true question from a devil-distraction?

Father, I get hung up on words...I love words, you know this.  The meanings, the usage, the fun, the precision...I love communication.  Thank You for that.  But, I often become stuck when I trip right over someone's words.  Please keep me from initiating the conversations about which You warn.  Please keep me from being derailed by ungodly chatter, ignorant speculation and word wrangling. Let me know when I need to verbally step in and when I can let it ride...and let me have the courage and self-control to obey.  Keep me from "stupid talk" today.