2 Timothy 2:6
The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. (NIV)

At the beginning of the week, we unpacked the first verse of this chapter where Paul encouraged Timothy to be strong in the grace of Jesus Christ. As the passage unfolds, Paul uses three examples to help Timothy understand his point: A soldier, an athlete, and a farmer. Today, I’d like to specifically unpack the example Paul uses about the farmer. My former roommate from college is a hardworking farmer from Aynor, South Carolina. One quality I’ve always admired about him is his perseverance. He stays the course, no matter the obstacles. I would attribute this quality to his upbringing on the farm. Farming is a 24/7, always on-call, type of job. It would appear that Paul understands this truth in the example he uses to draw a parallel between farming and strength.

One thing that is interesting about this verse is that Paul makes a deliberate effort to note that the farmer is to receive a share of the crops. What is interesting about this is that to receive a share of the crops, the farmer had to see the job through until the harvest. If he planted and then quit, there would be no share of the crops. Also, if he did a terrible job such as ignoring weeds or not pruning then there also wouldn’t be any crops. The farmer was obviously diligent and disciplined in his role as a farmer. I think Paul uses this example to help us understand that the Christian life is not easy. When we give our life to Jesus, we are going to face opposition and hardships, but just like the farmer, if we are diligent and disciplined then there will be a harvest.

Thursday’s Reflection

Read 2 Timothy 2:1-7. Which example, that Paul uses in this passage, speaks to you most?