Contemplative Bible Reading

2 Timothy 3:1-5 (New Living Translation)

1 You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!

Here is one of those list of bad things that some people do. Let’s jump to the end of the “list of bad” and note the exhortation for me.

Stay away from people like that!

People who are constantly doing those things are not good for me. I guess we call this “desensitizing.” I become so accustomed to the bad around me that I do it without noticing that I am doing bad all the time.

Now comes the BUT. But, if I stay away from these people, how can I show them Jesus?

Now comes the age-old question: Are these sinners pushing me (a fellow sinner) away from God or am I (a fellow sinner) pulling these sinners towards God? The short version is, “Who is influencing whom?”

There are times and situations when I (a sinner) can pull the other sinners towards God. I believe that today in America is one of those times. Things are “bad,” but things aren’t that bad. The news media paints an ugly picture, but the news media needs viewers so they can sell ads so they can get a paycheck. They exaggerate.

Let’s go out there and pull others towrds God.

How? What do I do? Turn around all the bad things in the list above. It’s simple: love others, love people more than money, be humble, praise God, obey parents, be grateful, hold sacred things sacred, and so on. Let’s not make this more complicated than necessary.

Please God, help me in my unbelief.