1 Timothy 4:15

Meditate. Gr. meletao, “to attend to carefully.” The faithful minister does not divide his day between his spiritual duties and secular pursuits. Christ’s ministers will labor as Christ labored, bringing to the task their freshest thoughts and best energies.

Give thyself wholly to them. Literally, “be in these things.” The Christian minister must be totally immersed in the task of soulsaving; he must know no other master than Jesus Christ.

Profiting. Or, “advancement,” “progress.” Here Paul challenges Timothy to vindicate the judgment of the church that his “advancement” to this new office of leadership was not ill advised. In secular business every worker demonstrates his value by production. Past deeds written in glorious references will not compensate for present unproductiveness. So in the Christian ministry a man’s value is determined by his recognized ability to help men and women to find God.