… to Timothy, my beloved child…
Summary: Paul’s words to Timothy provide a clue to the depth of their relationship in the service of the Lord.
Paul’s opening words to Timothy are touching: “To Timothy, my beloved child….” These are not just words to Paul. He has never married and never had children of his own.
This reminds me of a passage from Isaiah, Chapter fifty-four, that Paul quotes in his letter to the Galatians:
“For it is written,
‘Rejoice, you barren who don’t bear.
Break out and shout, you who don’t travail.
For the desolate women have more children than her who has a husband.’” (Galatians 4:27)
In the flesh, Paul is ‘barren.’ In the spirit, Paul has many children. Chief among those Paul considers to be his sons is Timothy.
In his letter to the Philippians, Paul is explicit in his praise of Timothy: “I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare.” (Philippians 2:20).
Timothy apparently shared Paul’s concern for other believers. He sounds like he was a younger version of Paul himself; praying for the churches, sacrificing to ensure that the Word is heard, and putting others before self.
The kind of relationship Paul shared with Timothy would have been rare, indeed. Consider the circumstances.
Paul did not earn a living from being a missionary. He earned a living by making tents (Acts 18:3). All of his travel, preaching engagements, and missionary work were self-funded for the most part. (He did receive help on occasion, notably from the church at Philippi. [Philippians 4:15-16]) Paul worked to eat and preached to live. It was a hard life. Finding someone who would be willing to come alongside Paul and sacrifice a normal life for a life of sacrifice was nothing short of a miracle.
Timothy was that miracle.
There were others, of course. Titus and Silas come to mind. He worked closely with Barnabas, John Mark, and was supported by Luke, who turned out to be a dedicated personal physician and companion for Paul.
God used all of these people in special ways, but the special person in Paul’s life was Timothy.
Application: Rejoice that God sends the people into our lives that we need.
Food for Thought: How have you seen God work through the people he brings into your life?
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How have you seen God work through the people he brings into your life?
The question reminds me of Matthew 7:7
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
I say that because I have prayed for specific things, and very often I find that the answers come from the Bible, as I meditate on it, and from the people God puts in my life, as I apply the Word to my life. I find it to be that the Word changes my mind and my heart, but the interactions with people quicken that change, solidify it as I give or receive. I believe the same can be said when others interact with me. If you look at all the people in the Bible, God sends others to someone, or sends someone to others.
I want to be cautious that I don’t make it sound like it’s all about me. It’s not about me, it’s about God working through all of us to bring us closer to Him and to each other through Him.
Galatians 6:2 Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up the other.
Thank you, Chris!
Your experience mirrors my own. I appreciate the testimony.