Being Prepared

Dr. Rikki Permenter

"preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.”

2 Timothy 4:2

This Sunday I got conned into doing Children’s Time in “big church” by my husband. This isn’t anything new. It happens a good bit if our children’s is out for some reason. She will talk to Cole early on and let him know if she will be out and he will promptly forget about the conversation until the ten minutes between Sunday school and our church service. During this time he will find me in the congregation and say something like “Hey Rikki, you got Children’s Time, right?”

If you’ve never met me in person it may surprise you to know that I’m incredibly introverted and hate being in the spotlight. Children’s Time is really, really not my thing. If I refute, my husband comes back with a rebuke from Paul’s letter to Timothy. He reminds me that I need to be prepared in and out of season and take advantage of any opportunity to preach the Word.

Today take some time to consider if you are ready to preach the Word, in or out of season. Even if preaching isn’t really your thing, even if you’re shy, or introverted, or just a quiet person. Sometimes God (and our spouse) call us to do things that aren’t really in line with our personalities. Sometimes this is a thing God uses to stretch us and it is okay (just a little uncomfortable). Are you ready?

This article can be found in print in the monthly Baptist Association of Southeast Louisiana newsletter.