Approved workers

Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. - 2 Timothy 2.14-16

I missed a passage a couple of days ago so I need to go back and include these thoughts.

I really, really want to be considered one worker who approved for God's service. To be approved one normally submits himself or some product for examination and once the examination os completed the person or product or food or whatever is seen as approved.

This passage gives us a few hints about what it takes to be seen as approved for God's work. Amazingly a couple of these things are the same things that Paul has mentioned to Timothy a few times already:

Not fight over profitless words - they only ruin the hearers

Rightly divide the word of truth

Be diligent in seeking God's approval

Avoid profane and idle babblings

That reminds me that there are a couple of things that God does not approve of. I am about to become convinced that God does not approve of His workers getting together and wasting their hours fighting over discussions that have no profit or that a profane (dirty) and idle babblings. We have a lot better things to do with our time and our words than to get involved in stupid, petty, silly, and wasteful conversations. Those kinds of things have been a real draw to me, but I am getting more and more convinced that I need to stay away from that stuff.

Be diligent about all this stuff. It is a battle. It requires our effort.

Rightly divide the word of truth. That means that teaching God’s word and even living by God’s word takes careful study and application. To rightly divide God’s word we must find out what God is saying and not try to make it say what we want it to say.

Do our lives reflect God’s approval on our service?