Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance. (2 Tim. 2:25)
Expanded Passage: 2 Timothy 2:25-26
I remember sitting on a bus while behind me a friend talked to a woman sitting beside her. I cannot recall the exact details of their conversation, but I remember being amazed by my friend’s boldness as she asked questions about the woman’s spiritual beliefs, speaking humbly while still prodding her to really think about what she believed. I did not think I could ever do such a courageous thing. The thought of boldly asking about another’s faith like this was, frankly, terrifying.
One reason conversations with strangers about faith are so daunting is that we often assume (perhaps unconsciously) that we must convey all of the gospel at once in such a compelling way that our interlocuter accepts it. This assumption may be flawed. Paul told Timothy to teach unbelievers in the hope that God would lead them to the truth through repentance. The burden of unbelievers’ repentance, then, is not on us, but on God. Our job is simply to present the truth in a gentle, loving way.
In others’ salvation, much as in our own, we cannot rely on our own capabilities, but only on God’s. We must have faith in God’s ability to bring unbelievers to the truth, not on our own ability to convince them of it. Instead of being afraid our words will be ineffective, we must trust God’s ability to work through them.
Trust that God can use your words to bring others to repentance.
Emma Dainty is a Houghton University (NY) senior who loves reading, birding, and deep conversations about books.
© 2026 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
