Let's Take Our Boots Off!

A while back, we hosted the monthly preacher’s meeting here at Arnold. I was pleased to see so many of the area preachers gather together to teach, learn, and have fellowship together. The topics that were selected were very timely and included “Encouraging the Brethren”, “Encouraging the Preacher”, and “Evangelism.” During the course of these lessons, two main points came out. That we have to always preach the whole council of God, and preach that truth in love! On particular passage come to mind in reference to these ideas, Paul states in II Tim 4:2-5

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

Paul is encouraging Timothy to preach the whole council of God, in love, when people want to hear, and also when they don’t. Because the time will come, when people won’t want to hear the truth, but will need it even more. Paul is encouraging Timothy to endure afflictions, because as a preacher he was going to have to step on toes. That comes with the territory of “reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. And the time comes when we all need to have our toes stepped on a little bit. In regards to this, someone pointed out that too many people go into services with Steel Toe Boots on. I would say to everyone with this mindset, LET’S TAKE OUR BOOTS OFF!!!

To grow and mature as Christians, we sometimes have to allow ourselves to be reproved and rebuked. We can’t develop a hardened heart, from leaving our boots on, sometimes we have to be willing to take them off and be reminded that we still have room to grow as Christians. This is the way the Lord intended. Notice Acts 2:37, “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?” These people were “pricked in their heart.” It is hard to, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another… (Col 3:16) without first taking off your boots. If we allow ourselves to be humbled, as the master was humbled then we may grow in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, as all good children should.

When we go into church, ready to defend our lifestyles and choices from whatever is taught in class, and delivered from the pulpit, we not only have on steel toe boots, but also a hardened heart. Brethren, let us take off our boots, so that the Word of God may prick our hearts, and we may grow thereby.

--Josh Robinson