News

2 Mar 2017 • From the Vicar

February 2017

Dear friends

‘Carpe Diem’ wrote the Latin poet, Horace. It’s a phrase that has been widely used in popular culture and was a prominent theme in the film Dead Poets Society, in which teacher John Keating (played by Robin Williams) urges his pupils: ‘Carpe Diem! Seize the day, lads! Make your lives extraordinary!’

As Paul concludes his letter to Timothy, he urges him towards something similar: Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called! Take hold of the life that really is life! Fight the good fight! Carpe diem! The impression we get of Timothy throughout this letter is that he was a good man, a young man, slightly nervous of the task set before him, perhaps, and prone to the odd stomach upset (1 Timothy 5:23), yet fervent in his desire to see the gospel proclaimed. Paul’s purpose in writing seems to be to give this ‘man of God’ the confidence and practical skills to fulfil his vocation and lead the Ephesian church boldly.

When we read the pages of scripture, hear dramatic stories of testimony, or meet sparkling Christians, its hard sometimes not to feel a little daunted. Few of us have eye-catching gifts and it is unlikely that any contribution we may make will hit the headlines. That’s why stories like that of Barnabas and Timothy are so important. They weren’t one of the Apostles, nor one whose name has gone down in history for stunning signs and wonders, but I suspect had you taken a poll among the early Christians as to who in the Church meant most to them, both Barnabas and Timothy would have been the leading contenders to come out on top. Why? Because they had that most precious of gifts: the ability to encourage. In Acts we see Barnabas encouraging others in different ways – through his generosity, through his trust, introducing the newly converted Paul to the Apostles when others still doubted his conversion. Again we see it when he brings encouragement to John Mark, giving him a second chance when Paul felt it too risky. Then again when we read ‘when he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord’. (Acts 11:23-24).

Barnabas had an unsung gift but a vital one; the sort that releases all kinds of gifts in others. Who can you be a ‘Barnabas’ to? Who is your ‘Timothy’? Who is the person you might urge towards making their lives extraordinary? You might not need to write an epistle as Paul did, but there may be other ways – an e-mail, a phonecall, a chat over a cup of tea – of encouraging someone else to go on fighting the good fight.

Are we the sort of people who encourage others, or do we discourage instead: seeing difficulties, highlighting weakness, stifling enthusiasm? There is no excuse: we may not possess show-stopping gifts but all of us, without exception, can offer a ministry of encouragement

Blessings

Margaret