sober

One of the reasons I’ve always liked Paul is that he is a list maker.  Where Paul and I differ in our list making is that my lists typically consist of “clean the bathroom, make bread, do-all-the-work-things.”  Paul’s lists on the other hand look like this: “...always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” (2 Timothy 4:5) Yeah, Paul’s lists put mine to shame.  His lists contain exhortations in how we are to live – how we are to change our lives for the service of God.  Paul starts off with “be sober-minded”.  As R.C. Sproul Jr. says: “We may assume “sober-minded” means the same thing as ‘not given to much wine.’ …To be sober-minded, however, is to treat truth seriously...”  It doesn’t just mean to be serious.  It means we are not to be flippant with what we believe to be the truth.  What does that mean?  It means that we don’t waver when someone questions whether Jesus is really the ONLY way to salvation.  It means we don’t waver when someone says it is OK to lust after that thing you want…after all it isn’t like you are stealing it.  It means we do not waver when someone says the church should not call homosexuality sin.  Being serious about truth means first we must really know what is the truth, and then stand by that truth.  Not in a zealous way that shuts people out, but in a way that clearly shows what is truth.  Going on to the rest of Paul’s list I find it interesting that when you are sober-minded the other exhortations come a little easier.  When we know what is the truth and seriously follow it, we will endure suffering because we know the suffering is for a good purpose.  When we are sober-minded we will also know exactly how to evangelize because we will know the truth of which we are to evangelize.  And finally, when we are sober-minded we will be able to serve God well, or fulfill our ministry, because we will be seeking His truth constantly.  Maybe I need to mirror my lists a little more after Paul’s…I think if I start my to-do lists with “be sober-minded” my life will indeed be changed.