For Paul, he demonstrated what a life of love looked like. In 1 Tim 4:15, he advises Timothy to —
Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may SEE your progress. 16Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. ~1 Tim 4:15
Having others SEE Timothy’s progress tangibly was important as a spiritual leader. And Paul stresses it again, watch your life and doctrine closely.
Paul was reminding Timothy that he was more than a teacher of theological tidbits. It’s not enough to have sound doctrine. Doctrine has to be balanced with real living. How we live out our faith matters. The choices we make to put our teaching into practice matter.
This is the argument that Paul makes in 2 Tim 3:10 — 10You, however, know all about my teaching, [AND what?] MY WAY OF LIFE.
You know all about my teaching, my pattern of sound doctrine, but you also know about my way of life, how I lived among you day in and day out. How I preached yes, but also, how I sacrificed, how I served you in love during the in-between, mundane moments. I’m sure Paul preached often, but what was he like in between those sermons and bible studies? Paul is saying that those in between moments are just as important as the teaching.
For Paul, his teaching flowed right into his way of life. Love for God flowed into a life of love for others.
That is the complaint that many non-Christians have about Christians. You read your bible and pray on Sundays but I don’t see how it affects Monday through Saturday. That’s not a complaint against Christ or Christianity, it is a complaint against religion. Religion kills because it causes people to turn away from God. And it is this type of hypocrisy that Paul is warning Timothy against. Watch your life and doctrine closely.
Power is 100% God’s responsibility. BUT love is a shared responsibility — it is both God’s part and our part.