Timothy and Me

            Do you ever see yourself in Scripture? Have you ever been reading about some person in the Bible and suddenly felt, “That’s me!” I have. One of those people I identify with in the Bible is Timothy. I see so much of myself in him. I admire Paul and Peter, but I can’t really relate to them. I am in awe of the faith of men like Stephan and Philip, but I could never see myself in their shoes. But when I read about Timothy I can identify.

            Timothy was selected for service. On Paul’s second missionary journey, he ran into Timothy in his hometown of Lystra. Acts 16:1-3 relates this initial encounter.

            He came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was a Jewess and a believer, but whose father was a Greek. The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

            Timothy caught Paul’s attention. Something about this young man stood out from the crowd. Paul handpicked Timothy to become a partner with him in ministry.

            My Paul’s name was Charlie. I met Charlie my first year at summer camp. For some reason, which I still do not know, Charlie selected me to become a part of his team. From the time I was fourteen until after I went to college, I was a part of Charlie’s ministry team. I wonder if Timothy was as surprised as I was to be selected. I was excited and scared all at once.

            Timothy accompanied Paul on his missionary journeys. Throughout the New Testament there are several names that keep popping up. One of those is Timothy. Timothy is mentioned five times in Acts as a traveling companion to Paul. He is mentioned by name in eight of Paul’s letters to the churches. As a partner in ministry with Paul, Timothy traveled extensively and was exposed firsthand to missions. He faced all the trials and troubles of Paul from the backseat, so to speak.

            One of the greatest things Charlie did for me was to give me a call in the dead of winter one year. His request was simple. Would you like to go on a mission trip with me to Haiti this summer? Little did I know just how much that experience would change my life. A fire was lit within me that still burns today. From that night on, I constantly thought about that trip. When the time finally came to go, God used that experience to cultivate a deep desire to serve Him full time. I was not the same person when I returned home. Charlie took me on a second mission trip to Mexico that only solidified God’s call on my life.

            Timothy had to be challenged to use his gifts. We can infer from Scripture that Timothy often held back. He didn’t mind riding in the back seat of Paul’s car, but he wasn’t too sure about taking the wheel. In Paul’s second letter to Timothy, Paul had to push Timothy to stop hanging back.

            I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:5-7

            All of my life I have hung back. I felt that I had certain abilities, but I never felt the freedom to use them. Even when God put me in a place to step out and use my gifts, I often waited for others to take the lead. There have been two pivotal times in my adult life when God used others to challenge me to use what God had given me. The first took place in Seminary. I was pursuing ministry but on my terms. God used two professors to confront me with my gifts in preaching. Because of them, I abandoned my path and started following God’s. The second time happened during my Doctor of Ministry studies. One day our small cohort group was meeting together and an older and more experienced pastor turned to me and said, “Dave, you are the leader of this group. So lead.” I think Timothy and I would have a lot to talk about over coffee.   

            Timothy was tapped for leadership. At some point along the way, Paul decided that Timothy should stay in Ephesus and give leadership to the church there. It was a key position, with much responsibility and many challenges. Timothy may have been surprised by this new assignment. After all, he had been a constant traveling companion with Paul. He may have assumed that he would continue to do that indefinitely.  We know that Timothy was not comfortable with this idea at first, but he was obedient. As He obeyed, God blessed Timothy’s ministry there.

            After my trip to Haiti my dream was to be a medical missionary. I trained as a Medical Laboratory Technician so that I could serve the Lord and stay out of the spotlight. God had very different plans for me. Instead of going to the mission field, He called me to be a pastor. Over the years I have struggled, stretched, grown, agonized, rejoiced, cried and celebrated. There have been times when I was ready to give up and times I could not imagine giving up. Time and again God has called me to take on the mantle of leadership, which I have done, often reluctantly. But I can say, without qualification, God has blessed me and the ministry He has given me to do.

            Timothy needed encouragement. I find it fascinating that two of the books of the New Testament are letters from Paul to Timothy. After all of his experience traveling with Paul, Timothy still needed encouragement to keep going.

            In many ways those two letters were written for me. I too easily get discouraged and retreat into my old timid ways. But through some wonderful friends and colleagues, God continues to send me “letters” of encouragement not to give up.

            When I get to heaven, one of the people I want to sit down and talk with is Timothy. I’ll bet he has red hair and freckles, just like me.