1 Timothy 4:11-16. Paul tells Timothy to keep preaching and not to let anyone despise his youth. He is to set an example of love, faith, and purity by his speech and his conduct. He is to attend to the public reading of scripture until Paul returns. Paul warns Timothy not to get complacent, not to neglect the gift he has been given "by prophetic utterance when the elders lay their hands upon you." As Timothy practices all these duties, others will see him progress, and as he himself heeds the teachings and holds to them, he will save both himself and his hearers.

Paul remembers what it is like to be young! No matter how excited we are about something, in our youth we can easily slip back into complacency, especially when we are surrounded by other complacent people. But Timothy is a priest now. He has been given the prophetic utterance when the elders laid their hands upon him. He has not just a mission, but a responsibility to teach and preach and hang on to his initial love of the Word in order to save both himself and others.

I imagine this being said to all our new priests, who we so desperately need right now. Our world is waiting to drag them back down not just into complacency, but into true, deep sin. But they are only hope! It is through their holding on fast to themselves and their teaching that they will save themselves and us, their hearers. We must pray so hard for our priests!