"But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses." -1 Timothy 6:11-12
I'm sure that Paul spent a lot of time with Timothy. I'm sure the 1 Timothy isn't the first letter that he ever wrote to him. I'm sure that Paul put all his effort into training Timothy and making sure he was ready for the ministry. Paul had so invested in Timothy, in fact, that at one point, there was no one likeminded with Paul except Timothy. The student had become like his teacher.
Here in 1 Timothy chapter six, after some seriously intensive ministry training, Paul ascribes Timothy with the highest title Timothy could attain: man of God. What a privilege! Timothy learned from Paul, imitated Paul, and grew in the Lord from following Paul's example. He had become a man of God.
What Paul doesn't tell Timothy is that the 'man of God' had arrived or completed the Christian walk. Paul urges Timothy to keep going, keep running, keep pursuing righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and gentleness. He urges Timothy to keep on fighting the faith and to continue on to lay hold of eternal life.
How much we could learn from these instructions! Even though we may someday achieve this high title of 'man of God', we must press on, keep pursuing these righteous things, keep fighting the good fight of faith, and lay hold of eternal life, to which we are called. So I encourage you, find your 'Paul' who can train you up in the Lord, and find your 'Timothy' who you can invest in and disciple. Some day may we all be called men and women of God. And on that day, may we keep pressing on, knowing that there is a greater reward coming.
O God, mold me to the image of Your Son. Teach me the way I should go. Keep me on Your straight path, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.
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