Spiritual Junk Food
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2 Timothy 4:1-5 (MSG)
I can’t impress this on you too strongly. God is looking over your shoulder. Christ himself is the Judge, with the final say on everyone, living and dead. He is about to break into the open with his rule, so proclaim the Message with intensity; keep on your watch. Challenge, warn, and urge your people. Don’t ever quit: Just keep it simple. You’re going to find that there will be times when people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on spiritual junk food—catchy opinions that tickle their fancy. They’ll turn their backs on truth and chase mirages. But you—keep your eye on what you’re doing; accept the hard times along with the good; keep the Message alive; do a thorough job as God’s servant.
Spiritual junk food. Somehow that phrase resonates with me! That’s what the advertisers understand about us, though, isn’t it? We want to hear that we should have our every desire satiated and every whim instantly satisfied. They love to tell us that we deserve it! Buy this car, live in this house, go to this church, work for this company, eat whatever you want—24 hours a day. More than that, it’s okay for the big corporate executives to be dishonest – as long as the bottom line on my stock portfolio is strong. And doesn’t everybody in America want to be a member of the Hilton family!?
OK, that last question may demonstrate a bit of editorial license, but maybe not! Paul is urging Timothy not to get caught up in all that! Don’t look to this world—look to the next for your reward! That reward will be so much better, so much more satisfying, so much for fulfilling, and, well . . . eternal! Do don’t get discouraged when it seems as if no one hears you. Keep telling the truth of the risen Christ.
And you know . . . we all must do that. We must do any- and everything we can to counter the lies the world tells us. Shatter the illusions, dispel the false teachings, don’t stop – don’t give up! Be the odd-ball at work and keep your cool in the midst of turmoil. Make pleasant conversation with the people in the check out line – especially when it looks like you’re going to be there a while. Paul tells Timothy to keep it simple. These are examples of “simple” ways to demonstrate your truth. You don’t have to be a “bible-thumper!” Just be grounded in Christ.
Nothing in this world will ever satisfy our deepest desire. Nothing in this life will meet our deepest need. Everything is an illusion – a mirage – except Christ Risen. Nothing will last, nothing will sustain, nothing will give us the assurance of eternal life, except one Truth: Christ died for us. And so we go out into the world – clothed in that full armor of God – resting in the assurance of God’s protection and reveling in the promise of our certain future in heaven with Him.
I hope today you feel God looking over your shoulder when you face a challenge. And that you draw upon His grace to sustain you and guide you.
Mary
