"You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!" 2 Timothy 3:1-5
To avoid hearing the stories of corruption, cheating and lying within our upcoming elections, I do believe a person would have to be living under a rock or on a remote desert island. But sadly, those same types of stories are also the ones dominating this weeks running news headlines. Between the NYRR introducing a new drug testing initiative to deter cheating and the announcement that Rita Jeptoo, female winner of the 2013 Chicago and 2014 Boston Marathon, would be stripped of her titles and suspended for four years due to doping, it seems dishonesty and greed are everywhere. Is it me or are these types of stories and actions becoming more frequent?
Sadly, the answer to that question is an unequivocal yes. The exact behaviors like pride, hatred and recklessness to name a few, that Paul warned Timothy to expect from people in the "last days" are the very ones our society is exhibiting today. So why the warning to "Stay away from people like that!"? Paul wasn't telling Timothy to refrain from witnessing and preaching to them but rather to avoid developing relationships with them-knowing all too well how easy it is to become like the people we most associate with.
Doing the right thing and following Christ will continue to get harder. Paul assured us of that when he wrote, "in the last days, there will be very difficult times." But as Pastor Greg Laurie writes, "If you are seeking to obey the Lord, expect opposition. Expect obstacles. Expect difficulties. But also expect God to see you through."
Heavenly Father, thank you for the reminder of what to expect in the last days. Help us to be a shining example of Christ to the world avoiding any people or behaviors that might lead us to do otherwise. Give us the discernment and the strength to go against the crowd and take a stand for what we believe in. It's in your precious name we pray, Jesus. Amen.
Happy Running!!!
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