Faith & Love: A One Year Bible Reading Plan - Part 10Sample

So often, we find ourselves amid conversations where we discuss how other people should live their lives and what they ought to do and not do.

Here in 1 Timothy 5:22, Paul encourages us not to focus on other people’s behaviour but rather on our own conduct and the way we represent Christ in our daily lives.

He gives us two takeaways to direct our focus towards the accurate representation of Christ:

1. Check yourself. We find ourselves in a cultural setting where everybody feels they have the right to say what they want to whom they want, whenever they want and wherever they want. Paul says that before we start doing that, we need to check in on ourselves first and foremost. Let us check our motives and our attitudes towards others, and let’s check our opinions of others. Paul encourages us to start from within and work our way outwards. We will then see how God is working in us, for us to work it out towards the world around us.

2. One thing he advises us on is not to give our critics too much airtime. So often, we are so concerned about what others think and say about us that we allow their opinions and perceptions to determine the direction of our lives. Especially when we know the direction God is sending our lives into, we will always have people criticizing us for what we do. It is good to hear what they say, but it doesn’t mean that what they say is good advice. Rather, seek the advice of the people that you can trust and who have gone before you to leave you an example to follow rather than giving way to everyone’s opinion. Jesus said that He does what He sees the Father do, and He speaks what He hears the Father say. Let us do the same.

How will you grow in your relationship with God if you make yourself dependent upon His example and His voice in all your choices?

How will your life be different if you don’t allow all the critics to disturb your peace of mind?

How will your world be different if you all choose not to give critique to others but rather pray for them and give them what God puts in your heart to give?