Preach the Word

BY Bailey Gillespie

In his second letter to Timothy, Paul tells his beloved friend to, “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season” (2Timothy 4:2). If you’re anything like me, you may cringe at the thought of “preaching” anything. I’m the girl who always had a mild panic attack in college every time I had to present a three-minute speech on cats (or my personal favorite: give our own eulogy). Not only did my words decide to suddenly disband in every direction the moment I opened my mouth, but I didn’t know how to feign the authoritative, charismatic poise and confidence I thought was required for all speech makers. 

Reading today’s passage, I thought it was worth looking up. It looks like Paul’s use of “preach the word” means to instruct others in the truth of the gospel. Well, that’s pretty straightforward, right? Yet there are still many of us who don’t feel gifted in the art of preaching or evangelism. 

I pondered the passage again and began to realize Timothy had the unique calling as a pastor to preach God’s Word. However, we’re all called to engage in the art of evangelism. We’re all called to share the truth—the good news—of Jesus Christ, in love, with those God allows our lives to intersect with. This doesn’t just mean a big church auditorium or the streets of Times Square. I think of my own life and the places where God has asked me to do this recently—at a local coffee shop, over the phone with a friend, with the woman behind me at church whose house just caught on fire. 

What I especially love about today’s reading is Paul’s call to endurance. He tells Timothy, “continue in what you have learned and firmly believed” in response to the truth of God’s Word (2Timothy 3:14). Continue in. Endure. Keep walking faithfully. Scripture has power because it reveals the heart of the living God—and our response to the truth will undoubtedly lead to action. At least, that’s what I long for in my own life! This reading encourages me because Paul’s words to Timothy are the same call you and I have today. We may not be pastors or have the gift of public speaking. At times, endurance can feel like drudgery as our minds and bodies wrestle against it. But we’re told that Jesus endured until the end, and He took great joy in doing so. 

Sisters, let’s be vigilant about where God may want to use us today to share His truth. Scripture is what anchors and nourishes us. “The grass withers, the flowers fade,” says Isaiah, “but the word of our God remains forever” (Isaiah 40:8).