Devote Your Public Self Not Just Your Private Self

Every morning I sit here and study God’s Word. I dive in and then share my thoughts through this media. I never would have thought this that began as a simple accountability exercise would be in its 5^th year and shared world-wide. My private thoughts and study are now for the world to see, what a public statement.

But, what about away from this media and outside the time that I sit and study God’s Word. Am I devoting my public self to God and the spread of the Gospel as I am here in private?

“¹³Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. ¹⁴Do not neglect the gift you have, which was give you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. ¹⁵Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. ¹⁶Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.” – 1 Timothy 4:13-16 (ESV)

I may be selfish with my proclamations of the Gospel. I may be keeping everything bottled into my morning private time with the thoughts that I am somehow being public. It is up to me to be more open at all times with my sharing and not just in the private of my home and on Sunday mornings in the church. It is time to be more outward in my faith and share with all, the glory that God has given me. It is time for me to share with all who I am and what God has tasked me. I have to take the time to “practice these things” and “persist” to “save both yourself and your hearers”.

Paul makes it clear to Timothy the actions he is to be taking in his ministry and I have to take my cues from Paul’s words to Timothy. I have to practice and persist in all that I do to bring the Gospel to all every chance I can. Both in my private times and public self I am to be all that God has in store for me.

What does your private look like compared to your public? What is it that all can see? What if you were to be as bold in public as you are in private, practicing and persisting to bring the gospel?