July 11 | I Timothy 6:11-21

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DAILY READING

I Timothy 6:11-21

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REFLECTION

A Doer

By Ken Dillman

I recently struck up a conversation with a gentleman as I was working out on a rower at Planet Fitness. It was one of those confluences that God ordains, where the path of the discouraged flows into the life of an encourager.

Life’s troubles, wounds, and disappointments had left my new friend struggling in his faith; his was a journey I once took; it was eerily familiar.

As my new friend and I rowed, he mentioned that he usually rows less than thirty minutes because it’s difficult.

Often, the writing of James in the New Testament challenges us at a deep level, demanding that the Christian live a life that mimics that of Jesus’.

In today’s text, James contrasts worldly living “The anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God…put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness…If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart” with godly living “Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger…being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts…Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”

Keeping oneself unstained from the world is a monumental task, just as keeping the weight off as one ages is a monumental task and requires diligent work at a place like Planet Fitness.

Both my new friend and I lamented how at times we had allowed the world to overtake us emotionally and spiritually because of our troubles, wounds, and disappointments. I shared that turning back toward God takes effort, the kind of effort James refers to when he writes, “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only.”

Forsaking worldly living and embracing godly living doesn’t happen by some natural occurrence, it requires hard and difficult work on our part, and sometimes we fail to put in the hard work of godly living.

I encouraged my friend with some amazing things God has done in my life and my family’s life to bring us through difficult times. They were stories he needed to hear, stories that gave him encouragement and hope.

The stories were also a reminder to me that in being “A doer who acts” I will be blessed in my doing.

As I was finishing up my workout of rowing for sixty minutes, my new friend discovered he too had rowed beyond what he thought he could, his thirty minutes had turned into sixty; through hard work, he had achieved a new level of success, without even thinking about it.

We both left blessed.

PRAYER

Dear Lord, help us to be a doer and to persevere through all issues. Amen.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

KEN DILLMAN

My wife, Karen and I have been attending UALC for 6-7 years and enjoy God's presence in our gatherings. We live in Hilliard; our three adult children live in Central Ohio. I am a retired Chaplain and Pastor, and enjoy writing, walking, jogging, and listening to live music. I appreciate the opportunity to write for the church’s devotionals.