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Entangled And Ineffective
I still do a bit of maintenance and yard work around the house, which means I have to deal with some occasional irritations that hinder the accomplishment of those tasks. I use an electric edger and trimmer, so I have to pull out extension cords and, from time to time, I find that my neatly-rolled cords have mysteriously entangled themselves into a spider web of orange rubber-wrapped wires. It's amazing how a neatly-rolled cord can get so tangled all by itself. Gremlins?
And then there's the water hose. I bought a heavy-duty water hose a long time ago that has served me well for about 15 years, but it is constructed in such a way that it does not easily twist [which is supposed to be a good thing], but that same construction makes it difficult to roll up when putting it away. Nevertheless, I take the time to do it right so it is easily unrolled when time to use. Again, I found recently that it had somehow entangled itself to the point I had to unroll all fifty feet and start from scratch. An easy task was made not-so-easy. Let me just note for now that, whether the electric cords or the hose, such entanglements hinder the work and are a cause for much frustration. I'm sure you can understand my frustration, and can relate.
Keep those illustrations in mind as you hear Paul's words to the young evangelist Timothy: “You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier” (2 Tim. 2:3, 4). In these words, Paul reminds Timothy that he is to endure as a soldier — that is, as a disciple who is considered a soldier of the Lord — and that being a soldier entails some responsibilities and a commitment to Christ that takes priority over all other things.
I am confident we understand the picture Paul is making here; soldiers don't take out time in the middle of a battle to go home and plant the crops or harvest them; a soldier doesn't take a break from his training to go settle personal issues between his children at home; a soldier doesn't forgo his responsibilities to his unit and to his country so he can go dabble in some side business or the pursuit of personal pleasures; a soldier doesn't neglect his duty to fight the enemy so he can help someone remodel their house; a soldier sets aside all other concerns until his commitment is fulfilled and the battle is over. A soldier does not concern himself with earthly matters because (1) he has made a commitment to fight and (2) the battle in which he is engaged is the most important thing; if the battle is lost, all those other things' relative unimportance will be seen.
We need to be reminded of Paul's words, too, for it seems that many soldiers today are entangling themselves “with the affairs of this life” and have forgotten they are soldiers first. We need to be reminded that entangling ourselves “with the affairs of this life” distracts us from the more important focus of spiritual matters, and the one who does so is not pleasing “him who enlisted [us] as a soldier”; we are not pleasing to the One we serve when our focus is on “the affairs of this life” and not on the eternal, spiritual things.
And, pardon me if I do not assume that all soldiers will recognize that they are already entangled “with the affairs of this life”; far too many times, I have seen, heard, or read from brothers and sisters in Christ whose focus is clearly on “the affairs of this life” and, when questioned about it, get upset that it is pointed out, or that someone would dare question their commitment to the Lord. Brethren, if you were out on a literal battlefield and someone pointed out that you were distracted and not focused on the battle at hand, and that such endangered your life and that of your fellow soldiers, would you argue about it and rush to defend yourself, or would you take their admonition to heart?
It just may be that we are so focused on “the affairs of this life” that we have lost the ability to distinguish between them. I know that is often the case because when some brethren are questioned about their focus on “the affairs of this life,” they will vehemently argue that what they are focused on is actually the Lord's business. Friends and brethren, the business of the Lord is not the same, nor will it ever be the same, as “the affairs of this life.” There is a reason the apostle Paul also wrote, by Divine inspiration, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth” (Col. 3:1, 2); we cannot set our minds on both.
So, quickly, let's consider some things that fall under the heading of “the affairs of this life” and then take an honest look at ourselves to see if we are actually doing the things that please the Lord, or if we are actually entangled “with the affairs of this life.”
Politics. Our country is as divided as it has ever been politically, and Christians are not immune to the political influences of society. Far too many Christians are clearly more concerned with making political statements, taking sides in political arguments, and defending or attacking political opponents than they are interested in leading lost souls to Christ. I will say it again: The 'perfect' political candidate with the 'perfect' political stance does not exist, and even if he or she did, is not the answer to this world's problems. Christ alone is that answer, and we need to quit wasting so much of our time and influence on political matters and get to work leading souls to Christ and eternal salvation. If you win a political argument, but do nothing towards leading this person to the truth, you will have to answer to the Lord someday for it. “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.”
Work and Career. It is discouraging to see brethren get so wrapped up in their work and careers that they have no time for the Lord; it is made all the more discouraging when such brethren defend their fixation on their job by quoting Scripture to defend it. When questioned about spending too much time in their work and leaving none for the Lord or even their own families, some will quickly note Paul's words to Timothy where he said, “if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (cf. 1 Tim. 5:8). The not-so-funny things is, of all the people I have personally heard use this as self-justification, none of them had to work literally all day each and every Sunday, and Wednesday evening, to provide for his or her household. We cannot use work and career as an excuse to not “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matt. 6:33). If anything, when we do not, it shows a lack of trust that He will provide what we do need!
Higher Education. As with the previously-noted issues, education in itself is not a bad thing; but when we make its pursuit a higher priority than serving the Lord, we have become entangled “with the affairs of this life.” Never forget that human knowledge will not get us to heaven, but knowing — and doing — God's will is what matters (Matt. 7:21). — Steven Harper
