Many people fail to enjoy the present blessings by worrying about the inevitability of future difficulties. Though each time of life is certainly filled with its difficulties, it is also filled with tremendous opportunities for blessing. When young, a person ought to rejoice in his youth while keeping in mind that God will bring his deeds into judgment. When growing older, people ought to rejoice in getting married, having children, working, and serving the Lord. As one grows older, he can enjoy the benefits of each phase of life knowing that God has special blessings in store for each day. After all, why be robbed of today’s joys by worry concerning troubles and sorrows that may never come to pass? And if they do transpire, effort spent in worrying about them was useless.
Respect is not inherited but must be earned. Paul wrote to young Timothy admonishing him to “let no man despise” his youth. In other words, Timothy was responsible for how others handled his youthfulness. Paul’s advice for Timothy was for him to be an example to other believers in every facet of life. If he did that, no man would despise his youth. They would begin to see Timothy as a man and would have no problem following his leadership. His youth would not be a hindrance. In the beginning, David was disdained because of his youth (1 Samuel 17:33, 42), but when he defeated Goliath and gave Israel the victory, he was given the respect of a war hero. David did not show up demanding or even expecting others to respect him; he earned it through his actions.
The church meetinghouse has historically been viewed as a spiritually safe haven. Unfortunately, the Devil has increasingly been able to turn this haven into a place of abuse by those with impure motives. It all began when “Christian” men allowed themselves to deal with ladies in ways that lead to impure thoughts, resulting in impure actions. In today’s passage, Paul warned Timothy about these dangers and provided wisdom on how to safely deal with these relationships. He told Timothy to treat the elder women as though they were his mother. Concerning the younger ladies, Paul told Timothy to treat them as he would his sister. Christian gentlemen naturally avoid improper thoughts toward their mothers and sisters. Paul was aware that such dangers within a body of believers would exist between men and women so he cautioned Timothy and the church how to behave appropriately.
Timothy was a young man who had been nourished up on the pure words of God since childhood (2 Timothy 3:15). His mother and grandmother invested the necessary time to teach him about good and bad, right and wrong. This early development helped him to understand the importance of purity (2 Timothy 1:5). Because these two women brought him up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, Timothy had been shielded from much of the wickedness and filth to which others were exposed. With this upbringing in mind, Paul called upon Timothy to be an example in purity. Paul stressed the importance of Timothy maintaining his purity so that other believers might be able to see his life and follow in his example.
Believers should seek to be pure in every facet of life. One might consider limiting this to the places he goes or the things he hears and sees, but purity demands a much greater focus. Believers ought to think on pure things (Philippians 4:8) with pure minds (2 Peter 3:1) and pure consciences (1 Timothy 3:9; 2 Timothy 1:3). In particular, believers should have pure hearts before the Lord (1 Timothy 1:5; 2 Timothy 2:22). A pure heart will lead to a pure conscience and a pure mind. A pure heart changes where a man goes, what he looks upon, and the things he allows to enter into his ears. Every Christian should strive to make sure that all things are pure.
