Equipped for every good work

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (II Timothy 3:16-17)

If you want to be equipped for every good work, nothing this world can offer you is comparable to the Word of God.

I remember, many years ago, when you were about to start a trip the first thing you would check was if you had the road map in the car. And, by the way, that it was not too old.

And then you would try to establish the route.

Although that was almost more of an odyssey than the journey itself.

Because the maps were of two types.

The folded map of the whole country, which you started to unfold, which was bigger than the car and which you ended up crumpling up whole.

Or the one that was bound and divided into sheets. First you located the start and the destination on a general map that indicated the leaves you had to look at.

So, in these you could start on sheet 21, follow the road and when you reached, for example, the left edge of the plan from there it sent you to sheet 48, in this one you reached the lower edge and it sent you to sheet 74 and this was repeated over and over again, but at least you didn’t cover the windshield with the plan.

Now we have GPS, an increasingly essential element, because they not only help us to locate our destination. They also help us, for example, to know where we are or remind us where we have left our car or bicycle.

They are really useful. Although I know of a case of someone who left Madrid to go to San Sebastián de los Reyes (about 15 Km away), and ended up in Donostia-San Sebastián (more than 400 Km away).

In a world in which it is increasingly easier to move around, it is important to have references.

And it’s the same in our lives.

We need references to help us discern if we are making the right decisions or if our attitudes are the right ones.

Some time ago I listened to a talk by a sociologist in which he explained that, for many years, society had four institutions that served as universal referents.

These were school, politics, family and church.

Critical thinking and openness to other ways of being were taught in school.

Respect and coexistence were taught in the family.

Politics was an example of service to society, dialogue and striving for the common good, and the church showed the path of morality.

The problem he found is that all these institutions, which apparently worked, were degrading in their functioning and were losing their prestige and their light as referents.

School has become synonymous with indoctrination by the government of the day.

The family has broken down and there is no longer respect for anything or anyone.

Politics has become the epitome of the “and you’re next” and the pursuit of personal or partisan interest.

And what can we say about the church as a moral reference after so many cases of abuse?

Those four stars that served as a reference in the night ended up going out, leaving people lost in their own paths.

When human beings try to serve as an example to other human beings, we become blind leading other blind people. Lost people trying to show the right path to others. And this does not work.

That is why God has left us his perfect map, the most accurate GPS in existence. Let us turn to the 2nd epistle of Timothy, chapter 3 and verses 16 and 17:

TAll Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

The Bible is a map that does not depend on human lights and that can shine in the darkest night, because it itself is the source of light that illuminates the path we must travel.

Moreover, there is no need to update it, because it is perfect from the beginning, and it is specifically designed for human beings to find their destiny.

But, like physical GPS, this spiritual GPS is useless if you put it in your pocket and forget about it.

The Word of God must always be before your eyes, to verify that every step you take is in accordance with its indications.

Because your every step is bringing you closer to your eternal destiny.

And because it helps you to be prepared for your work, for your service in Christ.

Whether that eternal destiny is in the presence of God or in the lake of fire and brimstone will depend only on your vigilance and your attention to follow the course marked in the Bible.

God bless you.

Cover photo by Tabea Schimpf on Unsplash