(This will be better read after you've read 2 Timothy 3:10-17
One of my favorite Far Side comics was a single frame of two dear in the woods standing on their hind legs chatting. One had a circle within a circle on the white of his chest similar to the Target logo and one stag says to the other "Bummer of a birthmark, Hal." That would be a bummer! Born with a bullseye over your heart when people love to hunt you anyway - bummer would be the most benign word for that.
I thought of that "bummer birthmark" reading 2 Timothy 3:10-17, but particularly verse 12 -
"Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted..." Wanna be a godly person in this modern age, counterculture to the sexuality-driven, rebel-hearted, God-hating majority? Well, all I can say is, "bummer of a birthmark, believer." You have a target on you, and it's exponentially bigger if you attempt to lead people into greater faith through ministry.
That's why I love this passage in 2Timothy. It's Paul commendation of what a great apprentice Timothy has been. It's also an outline for how to guard yourself against the leaven of the Pharisees Jesus was talking about in Luke.
Paul commended Timothy for a lot of great qualities - qualities that every leader needs to be able to communicate. In the western culture churches, our leaders are very good at creating followers of our teaching - passing on what we believe. Good leaders also pass on a code of conduct and sense of boundaries and decorum for how to carry out the daily operations of ministry. I would say we've championed the idea of passing on our "aim in life" - vision casting and dreaming of the desired future. We even inspire people to great faith to actuate those goals and aims.
And here's where we begin to fall fumble in carrying out Paul's list. Do followers emulate our patience? the way we methodically care for those who are trying, those who are afflicted or "extra grace required". (I hate that term, by the way.) How are we at passing out the way we love people and make them feel seen and valued? Do we pass on our steadfastness? This is the killer - what about our persecutions and sufferings - do we model how to go through seasons of struggle and pain?
You wanna stay in ministry for the long-haul, stay humbly effective for the Kingdom of God, keep leaven and pride and arrogance far from you? Be honest about your struggles? You cannot hide behind a veneer of all charts "up and to the right" and maintain a humble heart posture. Like Paul, we have to invite our Timothy's into our persecution and suffering.
One last thing Paul mentions here that I think keeps the leaven out of your life when the crowds grow and the headlines know your name and the community feels your influence. Stay faithful to the Word. Paul urges Timothy to remember what he's been taught from his youth, recall the faithfulness and life's work of those who taught him. We cannot possibly stay humble, remain faithful without copious time in Scripture. Every follower of Christ needs the daily doses of teaching (we don't know everything despite what we might think when we're successful), reproof (to validate our faith by testing), correction (we're not always right) and training discipling us until we are fully mature (which is when we're Home.)
Believer, you have a bummer of a birthmark. Don't let anything take you out. Bring people into your life - not just the shiny happy parts - but into the grueling "does God see what's happening right now" painful parts as well. And cling, CLING to His Word. These things will keep leaven and pride out of your life even when the masses clamor and crowds swell.
