Do Your Best - 2 Timothy 2:15

I always have this underlying fear when I go to share something I've seen (an observation, an interpretation, etc) in scripture for fear that it might be "wrong". An irrational fear, to be sure, seeing that it is simply that...an observation, interpretation, opinion. So...here we go :)

2 Timothy 2:15

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the Word of truth."

That word "approved"...a footnote here say "one approved after being tested".
I think Paul says to "do your best" on purpose, because he knows it will be a struggle to do so. He doesn't say "do this and this will happen" -- but instead he says to try, to do your best to do this.

I mean, it's not like Paul is scared to tell you to do hard things, or even things that may seem impossible to actually do. The first thing that came to mind was 1 Thess 5:16 when he tells us to "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances". Really? Think about that! Pray without ceasing?? He doesn't say "do your best to do these things"...he simply says to do it--commands us to, if you will.

So. Why does he say it here? I think it's a look into the very soul of Paul, the very soul of us all as fallen man. He knows what it is to feel ashamed, to not want to present yourself before God as one who's been approved after testing because of that little piece of you that doubts you are worthy of that approval at all. We all feel it--if you have truly grasped the weight of the Gospel of Christ and the amazing responsibility that lies with those called to share it...you know what he's talking about.

It's part of being fallen man-no matter how often or how much He promises to deliver us and equip us and save us-it's always a constant choice to have to believe it, to let go of your desire to be the one who delivers yourself, equips yourself, save yourself.

And then comes the fear.

The knowledge that you're not worthy and you can't equip yourself and you are a sinner...and yet He's still entrusted you with the Gospel of His Son. How do you think Paul felt everytime he went to preach the Gospel of the same Christ he'd denied in life to the same people who knew the blood of believers on his hands, maybe who'd even seen the death of Stephen?

Unworthy? Inadequate? Fake? Probably.

And yet he did it. He made the choice to believe the Gospel he'd been trusted to share, he chose to fight the lies that tried to combat the truth that we are who He says we are, and that is all that matters.

So, "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the Word of truth"...even when your flesh is screaming at you that you're not.