2 Timothy 4:5-8
5 But as for you, be serious about everything, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time for my departure is close. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 There is reserved for me in the future the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved His appearing.
Avoid Spilling

So much of our culture conditions us to savor, stockpile, and squeeze every drop out of this life. Get all you can before it’s gone or worse yet… before you die! Almost from birth, we’re programmed to think about ourselves first and process any situation through the lens of how it will benefit or suit our needs before we think about others.
How often do we hear the opposite?
Does society ever teach us to be selfless?
Selfless thinking requires deliberate concentration and submission on our part. And if we’re honest, the thought of suffering, sacrificing, and spending ourselves for a cause is extremely uncomfortable and terrifying. It’s much easier to fill our lives with things that insulate our safety and selfish habits.
Using the image of a drink offering, he compared his life to an idea of selflessness for the cause of Jesus Christ. Paul was not concerned with filling his life with things deemed valuable by his culture. Instead, he did the exact opposite. Spilling was the goal! Paul recognized how important it was to (more…)