Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15
One of the basic tenants of oral hygiene is brushing your teeth. Your parents have probably tried teaching you from a very young age that you need to brush your teeth at least twice a day. The dentist likes to add flossing to that list as well. When I was younger, I was not afforded the opportunity of regularly visiting a dentist, and, as a result, I developed some pretty extensive tooth decay. Now, I do have a little bit of an excuse – heredity. My family on my dad’s side has a history of soft back teeth, and that is exactly where my teeth saw the most decay. I ended up having to get a couple teeth pulled, and I even had a couple of root canals and dental implants. In other words, I had to go through a lot of pain (during the toothaches and during the dentist visits) because I did not properly care for my teeth when I was little. I learned my lesson, and now I take very good care of my teeth. Thankfully, I have not had to deal with any more tooth decay in quite some time.
I think that is the message that Paul was trying to get across to Timothy about the truth when he wrote this passage in 2 Timothy 2. Paul told Timothy that it was important for him to read, study, and understand the Word of God so that he might help others through the truths in the Bible. Timothy needed to be able to “rightly divide the Word of Truth.” For example, a good host giving out pie for dessert would neatly slice the pie and give a piece to each person at the table. Only a fool would grab handfuls from the middle of the pie and slop it on each plate. The truth is the same way. Someone who spends no time reading and studying the Word of God will have no understanding of its truths and will generally be very careless in the way he handles it. Consequently, the great truths of the Word of God will fall into decay as they are misinterpreted or allowed to fall by the wayside. A student of the Bible, however, will memorize it, study it so he may understand it, and use it in everyday living and conversation.
A person who cares about the health of his teeth will take the time to brush them and floss after meals so that he may win the approval of his dentist on the next visit. Likewise, someone who takes seriously the handling of the truths of the Word of God will do everything he can to protect them. It is important to memorize and understand truth so that we may win the approval of God when, one day, we answer to Him for how we have handled it.
Read also: 2 Timothy 2:1-15
Quote of the day: "The one who only samples the Word of God never acquires much of a taste for it.”