Entrusted & Unashamed

2 Timothy 1

Entrusted & Unashamed.

The two words or concepts seem to dominate the landscape of this text. I hope to focus on the latter mostly this weekend in my sermon, and reflect on the former one here today in this blog. (I think I'll be mulling all day the intrigue of the possible relationship between the two.) Someday, if I ever am asked to speak at a student conference again, I think I'd request to speak on this chapter and this twin theme.

At any rate, I recall being a 15 year old sophomore at Clearbrook High School, and the photo-editor of the weekly school newspaper. (We were the mighty Clearbook 'Hornets', and yes, sadly, the name of the weekly pub was "The Buzz".) What I recall most, though, is the awed sense of privilege and responsibility I felt when I was entrusted as keeper of the key to the door of the dark room lab in the back of Mr. Nelson's chemistry classroom. (For photog newbies out there needing explanation, a 'dark room' was a room of impressive photofilm&paper-processing machines, gadgets, trays & the mystique of wafting chemicals -- all made relic and extinct by the advent of digital cameras!) I remember the key I was entrusted with was official school issue -- just the same as the hefty ring of keys the custodians toted around. Who knew what other capabilities this key given to me might hold -- of power and potential to open other doors, forbidden doors at the school?! I would not betray what was entrusted to me.

But, I do recall that from time to time Mr. Nelson also used that back room for prep and storage for his science courses. Sometimes, when after school I unlocked the dark room lab door and entered, there were stacks of photocopied tests or quizzes on the counters for the following day's bio and chem classes, WITH the answer key lying on top the stack. (And, I was a chemistry student!) When I protested this to my teacher (who knew me to be a Jesus-believer and follower), he would just wryly smile and say that he trusted me, and something like, "It'll develop your character." I never once betrayed that trust.

Entrusted. The privilege and awed responsibility of it. There seems far more ways to mess entrusted things up, than to keep them well. Our scripture reading today is strewn with example of spiritual privilege entrusted. The text begins with the entrustments of friends and family. The elder mentor Paul demonstrates his keep of his entrusted friendship with Timothy; his letters and constant prayers and remembrances and eager anticipation of the next time he would see his friend put many to shame in our age where friendships are often transient and readily abandoned then replaced.

The strong message is implied that we are also entrusted with our families, as the effect of Timothy's grandmother and mother are recalled. There is even the sense of how we are entrusted with faith to pass along within our extended family. The impact of a parent and a grandparent to pass along generational faith is presented almost as some kind of paranormal genetic hereditary trait, passed along like the 'Force' in a family of Jedi knights! Now, we know that faith is a personal thing to be received and held, but, oh, can't you feel it in these verses?: We are entrusted with faith in our family generations!

The 'Entrusted' theme persists. Verse 12 tells me that I can entrust myself to Him -- all of me, past sins, current circumstance, future aspiration, matters of life and death and eternity, to the One who is my Savior. Verse 14 reminds me of the 'precious truth' entrusted to me. We can only keep this trust, keep the truth true 'through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us'. And, stealing into tomorrow's text (2:2), I am entrusted to pass along these truths to others entrusted to pass along the same.

And then (backing up to verse 6), I think my favorite of the day, I am entrusted with gifts, spiritual gifts to serve the Body and minister to a broken and lost society. I have been prayed for, prayed over, and been affirmed by mentors over these entrusted gifts. Yet a gift can be muted or neutralized by a different indwelling spirit (my own old human spirit) that foments within gift-numbing fear or timidity. (I think it's interesting that busyness or apathy are typically the assumed culprit for disuse of gift, but God lays gift-atrophy more at the feet of 'fear and timidity'!)

Part of the entrustment is our charge to periodically (how often is that for you?) 'fan into flame' the spiritual gift set we have been given. (I haven't given full thought yet today to just all that is involved in self-fanning into flame one's spiritual gift -- thoughts anyone?) But, it is clear that fanning into flame is part of what we are entrusted with, not only entrusted with the gift, but also the stoking of it. Else, I have not kept was has been entrusted to me, and those gifts will lie dusty and dormant, or perhaps even disappear.

"Jesus, today let me by the power of your indwelling Spirit remember, revel in the privilege, and rise to the responsibilities of what You have entrusted to me: friends, family, faith, truth, mission & gift."

-Pastor Paul