… 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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