Are there people who oppose you? Do you oppose others? Who is speaking truth? Sometimes, it’s tough to tell, isn’t it? Are you speaking truth on behalf of God? Are you opposing evil? Is it evil opposition you are dealing with?
We often hear opposing opinions. We also see people hold onto their opinions as though they were truth. Our human nature of preferring our opinions over others creates an overwhelming amount of opposition.
We sometimes call the opposition of opinion drama. No matter what we call it, it seems there is more of it now than ever before. Social media contributes to it like throwing gasoline on a fire. Yet, we continue to feed it rather than squelching it.
Paul knew young Timothy was going to face opposition—opposition to truth. He knew that evil was going to oppose the teaching of the truth of Jesus Christ. He provided Timothy guidance for dealing with the opposition he would face. We, too, can follow Paul’s guidance.
When evil opposes truth, it will stand its ground as steadfastly as we see people stand on their opinions. In order to lead people who oppose the truth we speak to accept it, we must do so gently and with love. Our demeanor must show that we care for the person who opposes us. It is by demonstrating we care for the person that we can break through the barrier of evil surrounding the other person.
Perhaps you wonder why we should care. We are called by Jesus to teach all nations, all people the truth of His Word. The most effective way to do this is through our daily interactions. When we see others as Jesus sees them, children of God, and we understand that Jesus wants to save all people, we can pursue saving them ourselves.
As we open our eyes, ears, and hearts to see this world as Jesus does, we see the overwhelming amount of evil in it. We see the traps the devil sets for us and others. We see how he captures us by luring us into situations that are unhealthy for us and oppose God. It is through our gentle instruction to others that we can lead them away from those traps and into the blessings of God. This is how we lead others to the saving grace of God.
I pray we all gently lead others into the grace of God. I pray we display our love and care for God’s children in our daily lives. I pray each of us will lead a life that others want to emulate and are curious enough to ask about. Be gentle with instruction. Realize opinions are not the same as the truth of God. Desire to lead others to God. Desire to release others from their captivity. Trust God to lead you into truth.
2 Timothy 2:25-26 Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
Marty Pressey 