That's My Boy!

“To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord” (1Tim 1:2).

Who’s your go-to? Who’s that person you’ve got in your contacts you can’t wait to call? That one who’s always been there and will always be there? For Paul, there’s no question that’s Timothy. The apostle writes the first of two personal notes to his young and trusted friend while Tim’s on special assignment pastoring the megachurch Paul planted in Ephesus (1Tim 1:3). As he opens this letter, Paul gushes over his young buddy. “To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord” (v2). 

Just who is this guy? What’s the deal with Timothy? You’ll be glad to know that there are very few people other than Jesus and His crew of apostles the New Testament has more to say about than the Timster. His name literally means “one who honors God.” That comes as a shock to no one. Let’s take a quick look at his bio. He grew up in Lystra in modern day Turkey. He’s a product of a mixed marriage. His dad was a Gentile and his mom Jewish (Acts 16:1). Just more proof that the only pedigree you need to enter God’s kingdom is placing your trust in Jesus. Paul mentored several younger dudes over the years. But Timothy is on the short list of his personal favorites.

Dr. Luke describes Paul meeting Tim on a stop in Lystra during the second tour (Acts 16:1-2). By calling him a “disciple,” the good doctor lets us know Tim’s been a follower of Jesus for a while. The apostle was apparently was instrumental in introducing Jesus and Tim on his first trip through Lystra with Barnabas a couple of years before (Acts 14:8-18). That original stop in Lystra is one for the books. Things escalate quickly when God uses Paul to heal a man disabled from birth. The people of the city are so blown away that they actually believe Paul and Barney are actually the Roman gods Hermes and Zeus. The dynamic duo make it clear they aren’t superheroes but messengers of great news from God. Some Jews from neighboring cities got so upset at what Paul and Barney were teaching that nearly killed Paul and left him for dead just outside the city limits (Acts 14:19). 

Jesus has clearly transformed the young buck over the past couple of years. “He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium” (Acts 16:2). Despite his age, Tim is clearly growing like crazy spiritually. He’s gained quite a rep among the local churches in the area. His name keeps coming up over and over as other believers talk to Paul and Barney. At this point it seems obvious to the apostle that this is exactly the kind dude who needs be part of his team. 

Who are folks talking up around you? Who’s name do they keep dropping as a rockin’ disciple of Jesus? That’s somebody you probably ought to meet. And what about you? What’s your rep? We’re not talking about managing an image. We’re talking about integrity. Do folks both inside and outside the church see you as a person as someone who is looked up to and can be trusted? Later in his first letter to Tim, Paul talks about how leaders in the local church should be “well thought of by outsiders” (1Tim 3:7).

Because Tim was half-Hebrew and there was quite a controversy about what it meant to be a Jewish follower of Jesus, Paul “took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was Greek” (Acts 16:3). Remember, tensions between Jews and Jesus’ disciples exploded into a riot the last time Paul hit Lystra. There’s no reason to stir up that hornet’s nest again. 

Stop and think for just a moment about Tim’s commitment to follow Christ. He was so passionate about who Jesus is and what He had done in his life that he’s willing to let Paul circumcise him as an adult! Normally this rather delicate procedure happens at a bris when a baby Jewish boy is just eight days old. It’s a little different for a grown man. I don’t know about you, but that’s dedication to the cause of Christ in my book! And I complain about getting up early and reading my Bible everyday. Boy, do I feel like a wimp!!

As a result playing a key role in his walk with Christ and not to mention being the rabbi at his adult bris, Paul sees himself as Tim’s spiritual father. He addresses this note to “my true child in the faith” (v2). Luke mentions Tim’s name at several key spots throughout the book of Acts. When a posse from Thessalonica threatens Paul in Berea (are you seeing a trend here?), he leaves Silas and Tim behind to wrap things up before rejoining him down the road (Acts 17:14-15). Tim and Silas arrive in Corinth just in time to see Paul kick local Jews to the curb for opposing the Gospel (Acts 18:5). Tim and Erastus are the apostle’s advance team on his third tour, making preps for his visit to Macedonia (Acts 19:22). Luke lists Tim as a member of Paul’s posse heading to Jerusalem with much needed famine relief (Acts 20:4).

When Paul writes his letter to his friends in Rome, Tim is right there with him (Rom 16:21). The apostle uses his protege as key part in putting out the dumpster fire at the church in Corinth. He gushes to the Corinthians that Tim is “my believed and faithful child in the Lord” who’s coming to get them back on track in following Jesus (1Cor 4:17). Paul encourages folks in Corinth to throw out the welcome mat for Tim because “he is doing the work of the Lord, as I am” (1Cor 16:10-11). He’s right there when the man from Tarsus composes another letter to the Corinthians (2Cor 1:1). 

He’s there again with Silvanus when Paul drops both of his notes to the Thessalonian church (1Th 1:1; 2Th 1:1). The apostle reminds them how “we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker in the Gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith” (1Th 3:2). Clearly one of Tim’s gifts is his ability to stoke the fires of faith in Jesus when things are cooling off. Who does that for you? Who do you want to be around when the flames of faith are fading? It’s also a reminder of how important is for each of us to continually stack kindling around fellow believers. Let God use you to stoke the faith fires!

Later, Tim’s with Paul in prison when he writes to both the Philippians (Phil 1:1) and Colossians (Col 1:1) as well as his buddy Philemon (Phm 1). The apostle sends the young fellow from Lystra to visit the church in Philippi and says “I have no one like him” (Phil 2:19-23). For all the awesome guys Paul mentored over the years, that’s quite a recommendation! If I’m Timothy, I’m pretty sure that’s going on my resume and LinkedIn profile. Apparently he also did time in the slammer like his mentor. The writer of Hebrews says, “Our brother Timothy has been released” (Heb 13:25).

And who does Paul write to just before his own death? You’ve got three guesses and your first two don’t count. When the apostle knows he’s a dead man walking, he reaches out to “Timothy, my beloved child” (2Tim 1:2). Paul spends his final written words pumping Tim up for the road ahead after his execution. Just before he signs off, he pleads with his spiritual son to get to Rome as quickly as he can (2Tim 4:9-13, 21). Who’s your 911? Who’s your one phone call when your at rock bottom? Who’s your ultimate “phone-a-friend”? For the man Jesus used to write most of the New Testament, it’s Timothy.