Training to be Godly

Watching my grandchildren a few months ago reminded me of an important lesson I learned many years ago when Brenda and I raised our kids. If you tell kids not to do something, they most likely will stop, but inevitably, they will find something else to do that you don’t want them doing. On the other hand, giving them something fun to do almost always keeps them from doing something they shouldn’t.

Providing coloring books is surely better than having them pull the pots and pans out of the cupboards!

Today’s reading is once again 1 Timothy 4. St. Paul is giving advice to Timothy, interim pastor of the church at Ephesus.  Let’s focus on verses 7b and 8, “rather, train yourself to be Godly. For physical training is of some value, but Godliness has value for all things.”

Paul is telling Timothy to be Godly, and that this takes discipline. Athletes train for their respective sport, but how does one train to be Godly?

An obvious answer is “Word and Sacraments.” A football player studies the playbook and eats the right foods to strengthen his body. Likewise, studying God’s Word tells us what it means to be Godly and taking Communion strengthens us spiritually.

Another answer is to keep the 10 Commandments, an impossibility. We can try, but for the most part, these tell us what not to do, not what to do. In football, there is a list of penalties that tell the players what not to do. A team can have no penalties and still lose the game. Players must also focus on what they are “to do.” So must we.

Jesus is our role model for living. Like a good parent,  God gives us things “to do.” We are to care for each other, worship God and share the Gospel. These are better than coloring books, and they sure keep us from making a mess out of the pots and pans!

Training to be Godly requires discipline. We must know what it means to be Godly.  There are things we are not to do. Perhaps most importantly, there are things we are to do.

How do you train to be Godly?