In Season and Out of Season

In today's scripture reading, Paul charged the young Timothy (he was probably 52 years of age according to this reverence):
"Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction." (2 Timothy 4:2)

Now I had always remembered (incorrectly) "preach the word in season and out of season" but the bible verse actually says "be prepared in season and out of season" (to preach the word). It's similar to these verses in 1 Peter 3:15,16 "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. "

The thing is I have problem preaching the word to everyone I meet and at all times. My approach is to know someone well enough to then drop "hints". Some people I know have no problem just telling others about the gospel but I have difficulty with that. That's why 1 Peter 3:15 speaks to me. However, in very few occasions do I find others asking me about my faith. Well, maybe they don't actually have to ask about my "faith". I do get a lot of questions on why I changed my profession from being an engineer to being a doctor. The truth is I switched because of having become a Christian and wanting to serve God in the mission field. I just have to explain that with "gentleness and respect".

More on 2 Timothy 4. Some background:
Paul wrote 2 Timothy from a dark and damp Roman prison cell, just before his death in AD 67. The Roman emperor Nero had been slowly descending into madness since his ascent to the throne in AD 54, a process exacerbated by the great fire of Rome in AD 64 that burned half the city. With the residents of Rome in an uproar, Christians became a convenient target for Nero, who used believers as scapegoats for his city’s own lack of preparedness. Paul was one of those caught up in this persecution and was beheaded by Roman officials soon after writing this letter.

By the time Paul wrote his second letter to Timothy, the young pastor had been ministering to the church at Ephesus for four years, and it had been almost that long since he had received his first letter from Paul. Timothy had been a faithful servant to Paul since he had left home with the apostle more than a decade earlier. Since then, Timothy had ministered alongside Paul for the duration of both the second and third missionary journeys, in places such as Troas, Philippi, and Corinth. Timothy was not unfamiliar to the Ephesians when he settled in Ephesus to minister, having served there alongside Paul for a period of close to three years on Paul’s third missionary journey. Paul wrote again to this young leader in the church at Ephesus to provide him encouragement and fortitude in the face of difficulties and trials.
(Insight for Living)

Clearly Timothy was a seasoned preacher already. Paul was facing great adversity in a jail cell in Rome. He wrote these last words to more or less say goodbye. He had fought the good fight (2 Timothy 4:6-8 and also how he ended his last letter to Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:12). He had discharged his duties as Jesus ambassador (2 Corinthians 5:20) faithfully.

Can I say that about myself? Am I always prepared? Do I always live like I have "reason for the hope that I have"? Do I have a clear conscience that I am not peddling God's word for profit (2 Corinthians 2:17)? Can I honestly say that "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21)?

Lastly, I looked up the Greek words for "in season and out of season" - they are eukairōs  and akairōs from the root word kairos (translated as time). They can also be translated as opportune and inopportune. The Message translation simply says "proclaim the Message with intensity; keep on your watch."

Okay Lord, I am on the lookout for opportunities to share the good news. Lead me, Holy Spirit, to someone today. Maybe I will speak with one of the old boys at the reunion this evening. May your Name be blessed by at least one more person today!