I Timothy 4: 15 (KJV, NASB, ASV)
Meditate on these things;
Take pains with these things;
Be diligent in these things;
Give thyself wholly to them;
Be absorbed in them;
Give your whole self to them;
That thy profiting may appear to all.
That your progress may be evident to all.
That your progress may be manifest unto all.
Paul wrote to his young protege to really concentrate on his Bible studies. As a pastor, Timothy needed to understand well what God was saying to him so he could faithfully teach his congregation how to live their lives to please the Lord. His studies were to mold him into a spiritual leader who would show them by example.
We are all not pastors and teachers. We are all to study God's Word regularly and deeply. But if the only reason we do that is to be seen by others, then that would be our only reward. But we shouldn't hide our spirituality from others, because we are all His witnesses, and we need to be examples of how following God's rules benefits us.
He told Micah: He has told you, O Man, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (6:8).
And Jesus told us: You shall be My witnesses ... (Acts 1:8).
So there is a balance here: we are to diligently study the Bible to get to know God better, to love Him more, and serve Him better; then our lives will show others how good He is, and encourage them to seek Him, too. That is the proper order. That is what God wants of us.
So our priorities are to be:
1) Our personal relationship and fellowship with God, resulting in our attitudes and daily lives being according to His righteousness in everything;
2) Our life partner (husband/wife);
3) Our family (and Our business, to support the family); then
4) Our ministry.
Sometimes a full-time Christian minister, like a pastor or a missionary, will put their ministry in first place, and end up losing their family, and then their ministry, too.
Those of us Christians who do not work full-time in ministry and need to support our families with a paycheck still need to find the time to do part-time ministry, starting with our example of a high moral standard and kindness at work.
O my Father, I want to study and learn and live each day according to Your Word; not that my progress may be evident to all--to be seen of men! But to be found by You a worker who does not need to be ashamed.
And if my progress is evident to others, then let it encourage them to also seek You!
Please let me not glory in any accolaides of mere men, but seek only Your approval, Father.
But let me not hide my good deeds, either! Teach me that balance, that I may not be lifted up in pride, nor deprive others of the inspiration to seek and follow You through my drawing closer to You.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
