Scripture: 2 Timothy 2.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

2 Timothy 2:24 (NLT)
²⁴ A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people.

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

In the preceding verses we are reminded that if we keep ourselves pure, we will be a special utensil for honorable use. That our lives will be clean and we will be ready for the Master to use us for every good work. I believe that with this pure heart and with pure intentions, we will be in great shape to be used by the Master, especially in our handling of difficult people. I would be willing to bet that most of us can think of at least one difficult person in our pathway of life that we would just as soon ignore, stay out of their path or even move them to another planet! However, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul is teaching us here how a servant of God must:

1. Not quarrel, and I believe that this especially includes that we not quarrel with the difficult individual;
   
2. Be especially kind, and I believe that this especially includes that we be kind to the difficult individual;
   
3. Be able to teach, and I believe that this especially include if that difficult individual wound up under the sound of our teaching, but in a more practical sense, I bet Paul was also saying that if we are stronger in the faith, more pure in our walk, not quarrelsome but especially kind, then we could really teach/show the difficult person a better way to act;
   
4. Be patient with the difficult person. I don’t believe that Paul is suggesting that we let the person run all over us, but sometimes it is better to let the difficult person get something off their chest, instead of us challenging them in everything they say or do.
   

I believe that the most important thing we can do, is to look at a person’s heart and be so concerned about their eternal destiny, that we could overlook almost anything. If we are not careful, sometimes we could actually provoke a difficult person into being more difficult or challenging to deal with, instead of loving them into a better way.

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Lord, I pray that I will not be a stumbling block to anyone today, especially to those considered difficult to deal with. I believe that it is so much more important that I allow You to work through me to reach the heart of the individuals that I come into contact with. I believe that it is also important that I allow You to show Your love through me, even to difficult people, so that You can show them a better way. Please help me to be so attuned to Your will and way today that others will see glimpses of Jesus in all that I say and do and in the ways that I act, and react to situations today.

 

àWords underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com
ß