Jump Start # 1472

2 Timothy 4:16 “At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them.”

  The Bible comes to us much like an onion. There are the initial lessons and principles. Very obvious. Right there on the surface. You can’t miss them. But then one finds another layer of applications and lessons. Then one finds yet more layers of lessons. Like that onion, layers and layers of lessons. That’s what makes reading the Bible so fascinating. A person never gets all that there is to get. So many stop at the surface and are content with just the obvious. Looking at words, making applications, lowering your nets, as I like to say, thinking longer and deeper, opens the door to a wonderful world of so many more lessons. Now there is a caution that comes with this form of thinking and application. One cannot bypass nor miss the obvious lessons. Some are so eager to look for the obscure lessons that they ignore the obvious. Can’t do that. The doctrines, the principles are there for a reason and we must grasp those things.

Our verse today is from the last page that Paul would write by inspiration. He sits in a Roman jail. This is his second stint in that jail. He knows very soon that Caesar will order his execution. Earlier in the chapter Paul wrote, “The time of my departure has come.” Written as if he was talking about hopping on a plane to fly somewhere, his departure or exit, was from this world. He knew his time was up.

In our verse he reveals that he has already had one trial. “My first defense,” was the first time he stood before Caesar. There are three statements in this simple verse that I want to consider. It’s a sentence that we could easily pass over, but it speaks volumes to the spirit and attitude of Paul. It helps us.

First, no one supported me. At his first defense, he stood alone. No one. Like the Lord at His trial, Paul was by himself. That is concerning, when you remember all the names that Paul names in his letters. Romans 16 is full of names. At the end of every letter Paul is thanking people, naming people and connected to people. But here, when he needed others, he stood alone.

Second, worse still, Paul says, “all deserted me.” It’s one thing to think Paul was in Rome and everyone else was scattered elsewhere and they couldn’t get to him in time. That’s one thing. But Paul tells us why no one supported him, they all deserted him. In a moment when he needed them the most, they were not there.

Thirdly, and most surprisingly, Paul asks God and those that would read this letter, “not be counted against them.” Now this is the layer we must look at. Amazing spirit. Wonderful and forgiving attitude. Something most of us would do well to give some thought to.

People disappoint us. We invite people to come and they don’t show up. Not even a phone call telling that they can’t come. No one RSVPs anymore. We’ve had four weddings. Some who said they were coming didn’t. And some who never replied showed up. That’s tough on the father of the bride when he is paying for things. People tell you that they will be there for you, and they are not. People disappoint. Some desert. When you think you can count on them, they bail on you.

Most of us would get upset with people who disappoint. Most would write them off and not have anything to do with them again. In the family, such behavior leads to hurt feelings and arguments. In the church, these things are enough for some to pull stakes and leave. I don’t feel part of the group. No one includes me. The church has disappointed me. Finished with them, is our spirit. I’ll find another congregation. And we do that. For some, that isn’t an option. There isn’t “another congregation” close. So they either suffer silently or they simply throw in the towel and give up. They quit. They are not a part any longer. It’s hard to blame them. Hurt feelings don’t just heal immediately because someone says, “I’m sorry.” Broken trust. Betrayed confidence. Feeling left out. Ignored. Disappointment. We expect more and better from fellow Christians. We  tend to believe, and rightly so, that they ought to act and treat others better than the world does. In fact, sometimes the world shines brighter than other Christians do. There has been times when it was those who were not Christians that brought the food, came to the funeral home and were with a family. The church family was no where to be seen. Disappointed. Disillusioned. Defeated.

The more we dwell upon those things the madder we become. The hurt intensifies. It’s hard being with those who disappointed you.

Our Paul has a different spirit. He didn’t want anyone to think less about those who neglected him. Don’t hold it against them. May it not be counted against them. Don’t mistreat them because they mistreated Paul.  To the very end the apostle was manifesting and illustrating the spirit of forgiveness and kindness. Forgiveness is easy to preach. The hardest thing is when you have someone to forgive. Do you do it? It sure seems that way here with Paul.

Certainly their desertion hurt Paul. Alone in the prison. Soon to die. It would have been great to have some to come and pray with him. Where was Silas, who years before, sat in a prison with Paul and at midnight were singing praises to God. Wouldn’t that have been great to happen again for Paul. Not this time. No Silas. No singing. Instead of dwelling on this and letting it eat him up, Paul let it go. Paul did not count it against them in his heart and he certainly didn’t want God nor anyone else to do the same. Let it go. That’s more than a hit song from the Frozen movie, it’s exactly what Paul did. He was a master of that. He told the Philippians that he let go of the past. He wasn’t plagued by the past. Forgiven. Changed. Paul moved on. Let it go, is what he did. Peter told his readers to do the same when it came to our worries. Cast them upon the Lord. Let the go. Give it to God. Stop clinging to those things that eat away at your faith.

Someone disappoint you? That’s not hard to find. You’ll see people at work who do that. They get a paycheck but they barely work. They spend the day shopping on line, talking on the phone, gossiping with co-workers, playing computer games and barely working. You’re there and you bust it all day long. You are honest. You give your best. They don’t do anything. It’s enough to fry the bacon. But don’t. Let it go.

The same can happen at worship. Here comes this one family and they are late. They are always late. Move the clocks back and they still are late. Your bacon starts frying. It’s enough to ruin your worship. But don’t. Let it go. Or, he’s the guy who can’t sing. He’s terrible. Worse he feels that he must sing loud. The louder he is, the worse he is. Smell the bacon frying. Don’t. Let it go.

It could be someone in your house that really gets to you. Maybe it’s the teenagers. Somehow they can’t make it to the closet so everything they own falls to the floor. The room is trashed. What a mess. The bacon is really overcooked. Don’t. Parent as you should. But don’t let it destroy you. Let it go.

People disappoint. People let us down. Our verse reminds us of how the apostle dealt with it. This helps. Others let us down, and we can’t get over it. We think about it for months and months. It grows and festers within us. We nearly blow our tops because of it. Let it go. May it not be counted against them.

Paul wanted those who deserted him to continue to be used in the kingdom. He wanted them to be supported by the churches. He didn’t want others to do what they had done. May it not be counted against them.

Do you think you could say that? May it not be counted against them. Do you think you could live that way?

When real bacon is frying it sure smells great. When the bacon happens to be our moods, spirits and attitudes, then it becomes an awful smell and a real mess.

May it not be counted against them…

Roger