Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have departed from the truth.

— 2 Timothy 2:17-18

A recent blog I read celebrated the idea of a “never-ending vacation.” Faced with the prospects of an unfulfilling job and the constant demands of everyday life, many people dream of “leaving it all behind” and heading for a place with no responsibilities.

While it can be good to have a change of pace in life, the temptation to run away from all our responsibilities will lead to trouble and will damage the relationships in our lives.

In 2 Timothy 2 the apostle Paul mentions two individuals who ran away from home spiritually. Apparently they got caught up in false teachings about the resurrection and undermined the hope that believers had in Christ. The false teachers painted a picture that misled people to wander from the good news of Jesus—that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ, who died for our sins and rose again so that we can live forever with him.

No matter how much we might enjoy learning new things in life, we need the “solid foundation” of truth that we can depend on to provide us with our spiritual home. We need a place where we are known and accepted in grace. And that’s what God gives us in Christ.

Let’s be careful about the stories we tell and the “chatter” we might engage in. In all that we say and do, we should ask ourselves, “Does it point people to Christ?”

Lord, keep us on the firm foundation of the gospel so that we don’t wander from you. Amen.