Enjoy The Companionship…

2 Timothy 2:22

I’m sure we all had one or more friends or co-workers in our youth who loved nothing more than to party, have sex all the time with as many different people as possible, and pretty much do “the wrong thing” 24/7 in a quest to be recognized as a fun person. Some of those friends are still that way in middle age, and we sometimes wonder how they managed to survive long enough to make it to a ripe old age.

In today’s epistle, the Apostle Paul is writing to Timothy, who was working in Ephesus to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles. Ephesus, much like Corinth at the same time, was known as a place where all the sins of the flesh were pursued enthusiastically. Timothy and his co-workers really had their work cut out for them.

Paul’s advice to Timothy is simple and sound:

“Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.”

‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭2:22‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Spending more time with those who pursue God instead of sex, drugs and rock-n-roll might sound boring, but in the long run it’s the way to happiness. Whether it’s being in the company of one other person, a church small group, or a large congregation, Christian fellowship is the way to “pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace.”

Photo by Helena Lopes on Unsplash