That Tickles

In Paul's second letter to Timothy -- the last one from all we know -- Paul gave the young pastor a solemn charge (2 Tim 4:1): "Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction" (2 Tim 4:2). That probably sits wrong with some. It's too tough, too argumentative, too judgmental. "Reprove, rebuke, exhort." "Them's fightin' words." And they are, but Paul had a reason. He was anticipating hard times.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. (2 Tim 4:3-4)

It strikes me that this is a pretty good measure. We have two concepts contrasted: "preach the Word" and "ears tickled."

It doesn't take a super genius to see this in our day. Many of the popular preachers these days are the ones "tickling ears." They are saying things people want to hear. "There is no hell; love wins." "If you believe, Jesus will make you rich." "God wants you to be happy." Oh, I'm sure you can think of who might say things like that and even supply more of the same examples. You see, the Word does not tickle ears. The Word doesn't give us in accordance with our own desires. The Word doesn't make us comfortable. Certainly not, at least, at first.

Paul goes on to warn Timothy, "But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry" (2 Tim 4:5). Knuckle down, Timothy. Be sober-minded. Don't expect ear-tickling; endure hardship. Do the work; fulfill your ministry. That would include reproving, rebuking, and exhorting ... in and out of season -- when it's accepted and when it's not.

What about you? Are you more interested in accumulating teachers in accordance with your own desires or are you ready to hear the Word and act on it? Do you find that you typically find warm and fuzzy things in Scripture or jarring claims? Will you fight the good fight, finish the course, keep the faith (2 Tim 4:7)? Or is "comfortable" and "agrees with me" your aim?