1 Timothy is a letter from a mentor to his spiritual son.
It is warm, direct, and deeply pastoral.
Paul is not just giving ministry advice—he is shaping a mindset.
Because Christian maturity is not passive.
It is not accidental.
It is pursued.
And in this letter, Paul gives Timothy—and us—a clear
picture of what to chase after.
Not position.
Not popularity.
Not being liked.
But righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, and gentleness.
Some
Things Must Be Fled
Before Paul tells Timothy what to pursue, he tells him what
to flee:
“But you, man of God, flee from all
this…” (1 Timothy 6:11)
All what?
Paul had just addressed false teaching, greed, division,
and pride.
He was exposing what happens when people lose focus and chase things that do
not last.
Before you run toward something, you have to run from
something.
Christian growth means saying no to what pulls you
away from God—
So you can say yes to what draws you closer.
Pursue
Righteousness and Godliness
“...pursue righteousness,
godliness...”
Righteousness is not about appearances.
It is about right standing with God—and living like you know who you
belong to.
Godliness is not stiff or religious.
It is the evidence of a life that takes God seriously.
To pursue these means:
- You care about your integrity.
- You let conviction shape your character.
- You guard your witness, even when no one is watching.
This pursuit is intentional.
You do not drift into righteousness.
You chase it.
Pursue
Faith and Love
“...faith, love...”
Faith is not just what we believe.
It is how we live in trust.
When things go sideways, do we hold on to what God said?
Do we walk by what we know of Him, not just what we see around us?
And love—always love.
Love that serves.
Love that listens.
Love that tells the truth but holds no grudge.
Faith and love are not seasonal.
They are pursuits.
We follow Jesus through them—and because of them.
Pursue
Steadfastness and Gentleness
“...endurance and gentleness.”
That combination stopped me.
Endurance says: I will not give up.
Gentleness says: I will not become harsh while I hold on.
Ministry and maturity both require this balance.
We need grit without becoming cold.
We need tenderness without falling apart.
Paul knew ministry would be hard.
So he told Timothy: Pursue strength that stays soft. Pursue power that still
speaks kindly.
That is spiritual maturity.
What
You Chase Reveals Who You Are
1 Timothy reminded me that you can tell a lot about someone
by what they pursue.
Paul tells Timothy to flee, pursue, fight, and take hold.
That is not casual.
That is committed.
So I ask myself:
- Am I chasing what matters?
- Am I running from distractions?
- Am I putting energy toward the things that shape me spiritually?
Because the truth is—something is always chasing my
attention.
But I get to choose where my feet go.
And I want them running toward righteousness.
Pursue the things that build you.
Pursue the One who called you.
Let your life show what you value most.