What a beautiful character we meet in Timothy and what a unique relationship was forged between him and the apostle Paul. A native of Lystra, he was obviously led to the Lord by Paul during his first journey, a real trophy of grace. Doubtless, he was aware of what Paul endured at Lystra, particularly the stoning, and felt that if Paul’s Lord and His message meant so much to a man, then Jesus must be the only Lord worth trusting and serving – the same is true today!
Paul, however, reaped what had already been sown in Timothy’s mind by his faithful and godly mother, Eunice, and grandmother, Lois. What an inspiration and encouragement to believing parents, particularly those whose partners are yet to be saved. In 2 Timothy 3. 15 Paul writes of ‘the holy scriptures that are able to make thee wise unto salvation’ – that he had known ‘from a child’. Quite obviously his mother had instilled these O.T. scriptures into him so that when Paul preached, the Spirit of God was able to take them up and use them to his salvation. What an illustration of ‘train up a child in the way he should go’. Thereafter, Paul was able to speak of ‘the unfeigned faith that is in thee’. Parents – what an incentive! What a responsibility! Never give up. Always sow. Always pray. Claim your child for the Lord.
As a consequence, in the writings of Paul he reveals what a place Timothy had in his affection. He refers to him as ‘my own (genuine) son in the faith’ or ‘my dearly beloved son’. Thus, the man who never married, presumably, and had no natural children, had a multitude of spiritual children, Timothy being one.
Pointedly, Acts 16. 3 says, ‘him would Paul have to go with him’. Paul was conscious of the need to ‘groom’ young men, though initially he failed with John Mark. To Timothy, years later, he was able to write, ‘The things that thou hast heard of me … the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also’, 2 Tim. 2. 2. To Timothy he could confidently entrust the baton of divine truth. If you are a young believer, seek to emulate Timothy in your zeal for the Lord and show willingness to learn from mature, godly believers.
