Itch

2 Timothy 4:1-5 NIV

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.

For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.

They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.


The world definitely has a bad case of "itching ears."

We're all susceptible to that bug sometimes.

We like to hear what we like to hear.

"It's not your fault."

"You're just a victim."

"God wants you to be rich, and if you love him enough, you will be."

"You can make the world just the way you want it to be."

"You don't have to do all that hard work."

"Everybody else is doing it."

"I've got a secret, do you want to hear it?"

Those kinds of things sometimes make our itching ears feel scratched, for a little while.

Paul's message to Timothy...and to all of us?

Keep your head...and do the work. Endurance over shortcuts.

Whatever our ears itch for this morning, remember that there's really just one thing that will soothe them.

The God of the long haul walks with us. Redemption is the gift we have received. Real, joyful work for the kingdom is our response. Sometimes we get lost in the belief that packaging the message of Jesus just right might make it easier to share. But the best "package" for the gospel is embodied in the life of a faithful, loving disciple...who keeps on showing up.


Prayer: We need your help if we are to "keep our head," and do what is right in this world sometimes. Lord, we ask that you help us to know that we never walk through this life alone.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. World without end. Amen.

Tomorrow's Scripture: Luke 18:1-8