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by Rob Globke
- 2 Timothy 2:22 -
“So FLEE youthful passions and PURSUE righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”
What a great verse! I really like this verse because it is Paul showing us the Christian life as not just a casting off of bad things, but a pursuit of better things. Many people look at Christianity and see a list of things that they can no longer do. They feel the weight of the Law, but do not see the joy of Christ. Many people only hear, “Don’t do this and don’t do that.” But in this verse, Paul gives a different way.
In 2 Timothy 2:22, Paul reminds us that it is important to FLEE the things that are not good for us, but he also pleads with us to PURSUE that which is for our profit. And isn’t the pursuit for these noble, Christlike things much more encouraging, much more inspiring. Imagine if you had a coach walk in after practice and show game tape of all the mistakes the team made from the night before and said, “stop doing these things.” Of course it would be important to do our best to stop doing the things we shouldn’t on the ice, but a video session like that doesn’t usually motivate a team that plays with freedom, joy, and zest. If you are anything like me, this kind of video session only leads to a tighter grip on the stick and nervous sweats on the ice. All your mind thinks of is not making a mistake.
But, imagine instead a coach showed you a highlight reel of the team’s big clean hits, crisp passing, stifling shot blocking, and game winning goals. I’m not even playing anymore and the video below is getting me fired up. This is what Paul has done in 2 Timothy 2:22. He has given us something to PURSUE. He has reminded us that being a Christian is not simply turning away from our sin, but turning to the radiant beauty of Jesus Christ and seeking to be more like Him.
Below are a list of questions to ask yourself in light of this pursuit….
Pursue Righteousness- Do you play dirty behind the play when no one is looking?
- Do you talk about a teammate behind their back?
- Do you do what is right...even if it means your teammates laugh at you
- Do you do what is right...even if it may cost you ice time?
Pursue Faith- Do you believe God is better than winning, goals, ice time?
- Do you trust God cares for you even if you don’t get what you want? (playing time, etc…)
- Do you have confidence God has a purpose for you?
- Do you believe God is going to help you face every situation at the rink?
Pursue Love- Do you treat your coaches with kindness?
- Do you act with patience when your teammates make a mistake?
- Do you brag & boast about how good you are or what you’ve done?
- Do you endure the ups and downs of the season?
- Do you seek the benefit of your teammates or only what is best for you?
Pursue Peace-
Do you get angry when you don’t get credit for the plays you make?
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Do you find yourself worried & anxious about making a team, future, game?
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Do you have frustration when others do better than you do?
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Do you get afraid of what your teammates think of you?
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