Progress Through Practice and Immersion

Paul must have really loved Timothy to write to him the way he does.

It’s really interesting getting a peek at what he said to his protege. I gotta admit as well, that sometimes I feel like Paul is writing that letter to me, as though he wants me to grow to take Kingdom mission seriously in my own sphere. That’s the impression I get. From time to time.

So, recently I was reading this bit in the first letter we have from Paul to Timothy,

Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress.

You can ask the right questions at this point – practice what things? Immerse yourself in what? Good questions and you’re more than free to check the context of the letter to get the drift of what the things are about.

I am just in thrall to the idea that Paul isn’t just saying to make a practice of the things. He’s saying immerse yourself. Get stuck in. Delve into the thing so that you’re more than up to your neck in it. Get in there to such a degree that it surrounds you and is occupying all of your thoughts and thus determining your actions  – your practices if you will.

I am very familiar with what it is to immerse myself into something. Whether it was the music of Stevie Wonder or my team Liverpool Football Club or a computer game by the name of Football Manager (previously known as Championship Manager), I know what it is to immerse myself in these things. My dear wife is also aware of what it is for me to be immersed in these things. When I got in these things my beloved wife did well to get any quality time from me. She would be talking about what’s going on in her life and I would pay minimal attention to what she was saying because my mind was focused on what transfer I’d need to make my team better in the next season of that computer game.

Getting immersed in something is supposed to be both thrilling and overwhelming. It’s meant to get everywhere in the system and be an ongoing quest to navigate through it all discovering the treasures therein.

And here is Paul instructing Timothy that when it comes to works of righteousness and acts of kindness, when it comes to teaching the wonderful truth of Jesus and setting an example of this new way of life that Timothy is supposed to do it and immerse himself in it. His life should be immersed in Christ. His practices should display who Jesus is. And as he does that, folks will be able to see his own progress.

Folks should see it and immediately be challenged to make it their priority to immerse themselves in the life of Christ too.

That’s the kind of challenge I believe Paul isn’t just leaving with Timothy.

(Photo by Ameen Fahmy on Unsplash)

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

C. L. J. Dryden