Tell Them Why

This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. — 1 Timothy 2:3-7

Here Paul gives Timothy three theological reasons for why he should be a godly citizen and pray for those in higher authority. First, he declared that God is the authority over all humanity. Second, God gave humanity a mediator (his son Jesus). Third, God purchased humanity's freedom, and it wasn't cheap. This leads to Paul's final point that God wants him to preach about these things.

So what do we learn from this?

You know, I cannot recount how many times in lessons to my children they asked me why, why they could or could not do something. And much of the time, I needed to give them a biblical reason for doing or not doing whatever it was they wanted to do. Which, by the way, is the right thing for a father, leader, husband, and man to do. When we give people biblical reasons for doing and not doing something, it connects real-life questions to answers found in the truth. It fuses thoughts and actions with a biblical perspective and helps others to see and hopefully develop a similar worldview. 

So, instead of letting people guess why you are doing or not doing something, tell them why. That's what Paul did, which is not just another discipleship strategy. It's a means of sharing the Gospel and the good news of Jesus Christ in our day-to-day behaviors.

ASK THIS: Is there someone you might need to explain why to today?

DO THIS: Be ready to answer, and tell them why.

PRAY THIS: God, bring salvation to the lost and open their mind to the knowledge of the truth.

PLAY THIS: Why.