Savage2Saint Sobriety April 29, 2026

Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. - 2 Timothy 4:2 (NLT).

Preach the word of God. Be prepared...

The bound, bruised, and broken are all around us. In the workplace, at the grocery store, and sometimes, they're our loved ones at home. We may not all be called to be preachers, but we are all called to be evangelists. An "evangelist" is defined as a person who seeks to convert others to the Christian faith. I'll say it again: we may not all be called to be preachers, but we are all called to be evangelists. The greatest stage any of us will ever stand on is in the space of about three feet: the distance between you and the one who needs to hear how Jesus can set him/her free.

...whether the time is favorable or not...

Chris was a young, homeless guy. I would often see him outside of the Dollar General on the southside of Poplar Bluff. Chris was friendly enough, but a short conversation with him would quickly reveal that he suffered from alcoholism. I can remember at least five times the Holy Spirit nudged me to give Chris a $10 bill or buy him some food. I would invite him to Compass Recovery, offer to pray with him, or give him a compass with a Bible verse on the back of it, but most times, I avoided Chris when I was at Dollar General. I was usually in too big of a hurry to stop and talk to him, and sometimes I just didn't have the extra cash to give him. Other times, if the Holy Spirit didn't give me a nudge, I didn't feel obligated to do anything at all because the time wasn't favorable...for me.

On Saturday, April 25, 2026, Chris was found dead in an empty parking lot across the street from Dollar General. No obituary. No funeral. Just an empty sidewalk where a homeless guy once sat. I can't help but think of the words spoken by Jesus, “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’ “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’ - Matthew 25:44-45 (NLT). I need to do a better job at being prepared to preach the Word...whether the time is favorable or not.

...Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.

Paul may have been writing to a young minister, but I believe this applies to all Christians. Who falls under the category of "your" people? Family? Friends? Or is it simply the people we encounter in our daily coming and going? If we truly are the hands and feet of Jesus, it's our job to carry the love that was freely given to us, to our loved ones and to the lost and overlooked. Freely receive, freely give. If you don't, then who else is going to do it? God Bless.