Entanglements

“No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.” 2Timothy 2:4

The picture is a soldier trying to fight while being engulfed in a net. He may be engaged in the affairs of life, but he keeps himself from becoming entangled in them. This is the warrior’s code. Paul was a tentmaker, and from this we learn that the issue is not vocation. Rather, it deals with focus, purpose, values, hope, and motivation; making a good product in you labor differs from seeking significance from your labor.

That this is a vexing issue in men’s lives can be seen by strangers asking, “What do you do for a living?” rather than “What are you doing with your life?” The world insists on evaluating your worth by success in your vocation, while God insists that your worth is derived from His imputing to you a value you would not otherwise have.

The Bible does not call for celibacy or other forms of asceticism. You cannot dictate to God what serving Christ looks like. Endeavoring to do so is an indication that you are entangled. This is a decision that God must make, and although the decision is subjective in nature, each believer must determine for himself what God thinks being free from “entanglement” means for his life.

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