They Will Turn Their Ears Away from the Truth

Paul gives great advice to Timothy as he closes out his second letter.  Paul in writing to the young preacher, gives him advice on his audience and his message.  Basic he tells Timothy not to tell the people what they want to hear.  (We see this happen so much these days in the political arena.  Politicians take polls...then tell the voters what they want to hear to obtain their vote.  Quite a "slime-ball" tactic....but it happens every day.)

Paul knows that not many people really want the truth.  Why is this?  It is our sin nature welling up in us.  Tell us what we want to hear so we don't have to change our ways...so that we can gratify ourselves. So we gather around us teachers, students, coaches, players, bosses, employees and others that will tell us "our version" of the truth.  And it makes us feel so good.

Paul charges Timothy to stick to the truth of the word...."Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction."
Basically he is telling him to give his listeners what they need instead of what they want.  It would be the equivalent of a doctor telling his patient the truth that the person needs surgery to remove a cancer...instead of telling them what they want to hear...."you are going to be just fine letting that cancer grow in your body....you will be fine."

As Christians we need to "listen up" to the truth that Paul is preaching to this young preacher.
We are all preachers/evangelist...whether we want to be or not.  It is our responsibility as Christians to spread the Gospel and disciple our "brother and sisters"...just like Timothy was doing.  So lets heed Paul's advice..." keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry." 

 Paul is telling us what we need to hear.