Caring about What Really Matters and Honoring Mentors

Philippians 2:19-24

If the Lord Jesus is willing, I hope to send Timothy to you soon for a visit. Then he can cheer me up by telling me how you are getting along.  I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare.  All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ.  But you know how Timothy has proved himself. Like a son with his father, he has served with me in preaching the Good News.  I hope to send him to you just as soon as I find out what is going to happen to me here.  And I have confidence from the Lord that I myself will come to see you soon.

This commendation of Timothy gives a little picture just how valuable unselfish service and giving for God’s kingdom really is. I am a little bothered by Paul’s statement that everyone else only cares for themselves instead of what Jesus cares about. How did Paul know this? I do know that Paul was in an awful imprisonment when he wrote this, and he must have seen some fruit or behavior by the others of whom he was speaking that made him draw such a sad conclusion. Contrasting language helped to paint clearly the picture of the trustworthiness of Timothy.

This contrasting of Timothy with others helps me to ask about myself. I have dedicated my life to God and His kingdom of Love, and He calls all who believe and accept Jesus as their Savior to serve. What kind of server am I? Am I like Timothy or the others who are not caring for what truly matters to our Savior? Good question. God, help me to be like Timothy.

I have known friends, Christian women, who have been to me like Timothy. They have given of themselves unselfishly for the cause of Christ, and they have generally cared about my welfare. I thank God for them! I think of some that really reached out to me when I needed help. They continued to check and make certain that I was OK. I am grateful, and I am glad to have had the privilege of knowing them. Just thinking of different ones beyond those precious women who are part of my blood relations brings tears to my eyes. I could name them, but I would have a very long list if I listed them all here! I am thankful that I am not like Paul who could name only one person.

Eve

In her old age, did she have any daughters or granddaughters who were close to her? Did anyone care for her when she needed help and encouragement? I am sad so many times when I hear that older people are not cherished as they should be by those whom they nurtured through the years. Many are left alone to feel forgotten and unloved when they still have so much to give.

One of the best things that we can do is give joy to those who have nurtured us and mentored us. I know I cannot truly be there for everyone who has been a blessing to me in my life, but I hope I will give encouragement and love to those I can reach out to in Christian love. When we are totally committed to God’s kingdom, we will especially treasure those older whose lives have been rich in service for Him.

Mary

We know that John took Mary in after Jesus’ death and that she lived with his family for the rest of her life. She was busy working for the cause of Christ. We know she was with the disciples on the Day of Pentecost. She must have told the story of Jesus to everyone around her through the years until her own death. What a blessing she must have been to the believers.

We do not know how long she lived, but I hope that she was always treasured by John’s family and others.  Those early years were so full of action. The believers went around the world giving the Good News. They were looking for Jesus’ return, and we should be even more zealous for the cause of Christ today. There is no time to be caring only for our own selfish wants and desires. Now is the time to be fully for the Kingdom and reaching others before it is too late.

My Prayer

Dear Precious Father Above,

Thank You for making me a part of Your Kingdom. Please help me to be fully committed, and not be selfishly endeavoring to please myself. Help me to please You, and be a blessing to my mentors and anyone that comes my way. Help me to reach out to others and encourage them to be seeking You before Jesus returns and takes us Home! I pray this because of Jesus! Amen.

Philippians 1:15-19

Philippians 1:15-19

 It’s true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry. But others preach about Christ with pure motives. They preach because they love me, for they know I have been appointed to defend the Good News.  Those others do not have pure motives as they preach about Christ. They preach with selfish ambition, not sincerely, intending to make my chains more painful to me.  But that doesn’t matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice.  For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance.

Paul felt the attitude from those who were jealous of his influence and talent and tried to become more popular than he was while he was imprisoned. Rivalry and selfish ambition is not without its hurt in the cause of Christ who wanted all His people to consider themselves brothers and sisters, on level ground with other. Still Paul knew that God uses whatever He can, and good was being accomplished. Christ and the Good News of Him were being preached. Getting the word out about Jesus was what was important to Paul, and He was glad that the Gospel was being preached.

Do we concentrate on what is most important and leave other peoples’ attitudes against us with God? Are we more interested in the success of the cause of Christ and the people who are coming to Christ than we are our own personal success and reputation? We must be completely unified with Christ and His cause and He must work His miracle in our hearts so that we are completely sold on the value of what concerned Paul most.

Eve

God tried to reach Eve long ago and to win her to His side. She had the same opportunity with her children as each of us with those around us. She could have wanted nothing more than to see the Good News of Hope that God had presented to her and Adam be the ruling influence in her own life and the theme that she always communicated to her children.

Mary

Mary could have studied out the role of Jesus on earth in her studies of the Scriptures. She seems to have been willing to do whatever God wanted her to do. As a young girl she felt the cost of serving God in her own life and reputation. As time marched on, she was a concerned mother. Additionally, she was human and not at all perfect. Still through the years in her experience with Jesus, she learned more about God and His wonderful plan. Her entire life was wrapped up in this plan and the Good News.

My Prayer

My dear Father God,

Thank you for the privilege to have even a small part in Your work here in this world. Thank You that I can be a Christian, know about You and the Good News. Lord, I want to really know You and let You be first in my life. Please help me not to be selfish and look out for myself. Help me not to care about what others do or say for or against me. Help me to be motivated by You and the success of Your great cause of Love. I know Your Hope is mine because of Jesus. Amen.

Philippians 1:12-14

Philippians 1:12-14

 And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters,that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News.  For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ.  And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear.

Much was happening to Paul. He was in an incredibly dire living situation, incarcerated with Roman guards on constant watch. Still, he had such joy in Jesus and was so willing to suffer any hardship if he could feel the pain for Jesus. His focus was on Jesus’ cause here on earth and what would help “spread the Good News.” He saw that it was not about Paul, but about Jesus and others. Paul was glad that he was incapable of preaching because the entire church in Rome was encouraged to share the Gospel. They were out there doing the work, inspired by Paul and his being in their city in prison.

  Then, Paul also saw that the real reason for his imprisonment was known. He wanted the guards and people on up the line even into Caesar’s palace to know that he was in prison because of his faith in Jesus. They might become curious as to who Jesus is and want to check out the Christian faith for themselves.

Eve

  Did Eve ever get to the point where she was so attracted by the love of God that God’s cause was her life focus? Did she try to show the love and hope of God to her children? God would have comforted her heart through the years as she saw the result of her sin if she had kept looking to Him and letting God’s love hold her heart. She had to come to surrender her ability to make things better. She had to accept that she might not be the mother of the One who was to come and rescue her children from sin and the devil. We do not know if she surrendered to God and to letting His love heal her.

Mary

  Mary did focus on doing her best to follow God’s leading in her young motherhood and caring for the Child, Jesus. She was a mother that was willing to put everything she had and was on the line for this Boy of hers.  She was a mother, but she was dedicated to letting God do with her life what He planned. She is such a role model for women of any age today. All of us can look at her dedication throughout her life and let our hearts open. We can be inspired to give ourselves completely over to God’s will like she did.

My Prayer

My Father in Heaven,

Thank You for not being far away. You are right here with me on Planet Earth. Please let me live with the attitude of surrender to You and full dedication to what You want in whatever circumstances come my way. You are at work through everything that occurs. Help me to always believe You. Since I am Yours, everything that happens to me will work for good. Help me to be fully committed to Your cause, Your winning team. I can do this because of Jesus! Amen!