While waiting to enter the university, twenty-year-old Shin Yi decided to commit three months of her break to serving in a youth mission organisation. It seemed like an odd time to do this, given the COVID-19 restrictions that prevented face-to-face meetings. But Shin Yi soon found a way. “We couldn’t meet up with students on the streets, in shopping centres, or fast-food outlets like we usually did,” she shared. “But we continued to keep in touch with the Christian students via Zoom to pray for one another and with the non-believers via phone calls.”
Shin Yi did what the apostle Paul encouraged Timothy to do: “Do the work of an evangelist” (2 Timothy 4:5). Paul warned that people would find teachers who would tell them what they wanted to hear and not what they needed to hear (vv. 3–4). Yet Timothy was called to take courage and “be prepared in season and out of season.” He was to “correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction” (v. 2).
Though not all of us are called to be evangelists or preachers, each one of us can play a part in sharing our faith with those around us. Unbelievers are perishing without Christ. Believers need strengthening and encouragement. With God’s help, let’s proclaim His good news whenever and wherever we can.
By Poh Fang Chia
REFLECT & PRAY
What discourages you from sharing your faith? How might remembering that Jesus is coming back help you to overcome your fear?
Dear Jesus, help me to seize every opportunity to share Your words with others that they may find hope and comfort in You.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Paul’s words to Timothy that he “be prepared in season and out of season” (2 Timothy 4:2) might seem a bit odd. In context, Paul wants Timothy to carry out the task of preaching “the word” when it’s appropriate to his audience (in season) and also when that audience doesn’t want to hear it (out of season).
Then Paul points out that soon Timothy’s audience won’t tolerate the hard truths of following Jesus; instead, they will turn to “what their itching ears want to hear” (v. 3). Paul wanted Timothy to preach the gospel to people regardless of whether they felt up to denying themselves, caring for the poor, the widow, the orphan, or following Jesus into death. As a young church planter, Timothy faced a world that would hate his message as well as embrace it. And still, he preached “the word” (v. 2).
Jed Ostoich
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