In Timothy 3 and 4 we find Paul giving Timothy advice, wisdom and encouragement. He opens with the list of qualifications for recognizing leaders for serving in the church, followed by some words of instruction to Timothy personally.
The instructions are somewhat heavy with responsibility, yet voiced with a strength to encourage. Paul is honest about the difficulty of the message Timothy will have to deliver to some who will not be following the truth of Jesus Christ. How often is it that when we are uncomfortable stating the truth, we just let the truth go unsaid? Stating truth at the right time, in a loving way, is never wrong....just hard when the message of truth is possibly going to be rejected. As Tony stated on Sunday, we are "seed planters". Seed planters plant truth, God waters and grows the seed. Timothy ( all of us) are instructed to plant seeds.
Then he closes the instruction with these words...Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. (1 Timothy 4:15, 16 NIV).
Be diligent. Often times farmers have to plant seed and then because of a circumstance, plant again. We as Christians are reminded here that we must be diligent, stay the course, evaluate the person, speak truth in love and be steadfast in teaching. Lastly, as with the instructions in the beginning of Chapter 3 people are watching. Remember that we can be diligent in teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ without ever saying a word. Speaking truth and living truth is a combination for growing truth.