The first snowfall of the season was larger than expected. The total for Sunday and Monday at our house was around four inches, enough to blanket the ground and stick to the roads and sidewalks. Enough to shovel before church on Sunday morning, at that point a wet and heavy slush of a snowfall.
The early snowfall caught us a bit off guard. We have yet to winterize the screen porch, and it’s still too cold to get the work done. We weren’t ready, not quite prepared for four inches of snow the second week of November. This is January stuff.
As the Apostle Paul lays out a charge for Timothy, his protégé, he reminds him to “be ready, be prepared, in season and out of season,” ready and prepared for the tasks of ministry. He mentions four of those tasks as being able to preach, to correct, to rebuke, and to exhort or encourage “with great patience and careful instruction.” (2 Timothy 4:2)
The phrase “in season and out of season” is used by many English translations (ESV, NIV, CSB, among others). The phrase is now used not only in its biblical context but has taken on a cultural meaning having to do with dogged persistence. Ernest Hemingway wrote a short story and borrowed the phrase “out of season” for its title.
“In season and out of season.” Other translators, however, choose to translate the Greek admonition as “be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable,” (NRSV) or “be ready whether it is convenient or not.” (NET) Such translations are appropriate and accurate, if lacking in poetry and picture.
Timothy was to be ready to preach, correct, rebuke, and encourage “in season and out of season” – he was to be prepared to do the work of a pastor whether it was convenient or inconvenient to do so, whether the time was favorable or unfavorable.
Christians, pastors and otherwise, must be prepared – in season and out of season – to speak up and act out the Good News as we sometimes correct and rebuke, other times encourage and exhort with great patience. That is, the Christian is to be ready to “be there” for those around us whatever their needs. Even when early storms blow in.
Our screen porch is still not ready for winter, but the forecast is for a high of 63 on Saturday. It may be the last day of the season to prepare for the coming winter.