Joyful Living Devotional - Day 24
Day 24 – “No One Else Like Him”
Philippians 2:19-24 (NLT) 19 If the Lord Jesus is willing, I hope to send Timothy to you soon for a visit. Then he can cheer me up by telling me how you are getting along. 20 I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare. 21 All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ. 22 But you know how Timothy has proved himself. Like a son with his father, he has served with me in preaching the Good News. 23 I hope to send him to you just as soon as I find out what is going to happen to me here. 24 And I have confidence from the Lord that I myself will come to see you soon.
One of life’s greatest blessings is to have people in your life that you can lean on, trust, and rely on; people who are trustworthy in every way. Enter Timothy! Paul, the faithful apostle of the Lord, makes a profound statement about this young man: “I have no one else like Timothy…”
We are introduced to Timothy in Acts 16:1-5 (NIV): “1 Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father was a Greek. 2 The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 3 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. 4 As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.”
In these verses, we read some things about Timothy. We don’t know when he was converted, but we see that Paul recognized something in this young man and that he had a good reputation among the believers in both Lystra, his hometown, and the neighboring town of Iconium. His mother, Eunice, was a Jew and a believer, and his father was Greek, though we don’t know whether he was a believer. His grandmother’s name was Lois, and also a believer. “I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you” (2 Timothy 1:5 NLT).
If we read Acts 16:3 casually, we would miss something about Timothy’s character. The fact that he was not circumcised suggests he was educated in Greek customs. Timothy’s submission, trust, and love for others are evident. 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. Paul had just met him, yet Timothy was willing to submit to Paul’s authority and to be circumcised so they could reach the Jewish community! I can’t even imagine how that conversation went, maybe something like this: Paul: “Shalom, Timothy, do you want to travel with me to preach the Good News?” Timothy: “Χαῖρε (khairē, Hello), Paul, nice to meet you. Yes, I believe I am called. Shall I go pack?” Paul: “Yes, but before you do, there is a small matter we need to address.”
We see in the Book of Acts that Timothy was Paul’s constant traveling companion, and he was with him in prison in Rome (Philippians 1:1). He was associated with Paul in the writing of at least five of his letters. Timothy was so trusted by Paul that Paul could send him to the different churches to bring correction, rebuke, information, advice, and encouragement, even when Paul could not go himself. In 1 Corinthians 4:17 (NIV), Paul speaks of Timothy as a son in the Lord: “For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.”
In the end, Timothy was also a prisoner for the Lord Jesus: “I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released. If he arrives soon, I will come with him to see you” (Hebrews 13:23 NIV).
Writing to the Philippians, we see why Paul could trust Timothy.
May the Lord give us a heart like that. May we be people who can be trusted with responsibility. People who look out not only for our own interests but also care deeply about others, and are willing to go the extra mile. May we be people others can rely on; people who can be trusted to do what they say they will do. Some people spend more time making excuses than actually doing what is needed. What can be said of you? Will the person to whom you are responsible be able to say this about you: “I have no one else like him or her...”
Do you genuinely care about the welfare of others? Do you care about what matters most to Jesus, or are you preoccupied with your own interests, leaving no time for God’s purpose? Are you willing to prove yourself by faithfully preaching the Good News alongside someone else? Can you be trusted with greater responsibility? How trustworthy are you? Can you be relied on? Do you show up when you say you will? Do you come prepared? Do you do your job well? Do you do it with a joyful attitude? Can you be trusted with small responsibilities that might not advance your own dream, or do you see them only as stepping stones to where you think you are called? Can you be given greater responsibility, or do people always have to wonder whether you will be there and do what needs to be done?
If you care more about yourself than about what matters most to Jesus, you will struggle with faithfulness. But Paul does not merely say Timothy is faithful; he says he is capable because he has proved himself. We want people to validate us, yet some of us are unwilling to do the hard work of being faithful without recognition and validation. Are you willing to serve in God’s vineyard without the praise of others?
How reliable are you? Will the Lord be able to give you greater responsibility because you were faithful over a few things, or have you neglected your responsibility? Are you full of the Holy Spirit? If your answer is yes, I want to remind you that faithfulness is part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit! Will there be someone who will be able to truthfully say about you: “I have no one like him. I have no one like her.”
“Our world is obsessed with success. But how does God define success? Success in God's eyes is faithfulness to His calling.”
– Billy Graham
Prayer:
Philippians 2:19-24 (NLT) 19 If the Lord Jesus is willing, I hope to send Timothy to you soon for a visit. Then he can cheer me up by telling me how you are getting along. 20 I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare. 21 All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ. 22 But you know how Timothy has proved himself. Like a son with his father, he has served with me in preaching the Good News. 23 I hope to send him to you just as soon as I find out what is going to happen to me here. 24 And I have confidence from the Lord that I myself will come to see you soon.
One of life’s greatest blessings is to have people in your life that you can lean on, trust, and rely on; people who are trustworthy in every way. Enter Timothy! Paul, the faithful apostle of the Lord, makes a profound statement about this young man: “I have no one else like Timothy…”
We are introduced to Timothy in Acts 16:1-5 (NIV): “1 Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father was a Greek. 2 The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 3 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. 4 As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.”
In these verses, we read some things about Timothy. We don’t know when he was converted, but we see that Paul recognized something in this young man and that he had a good reputation among the believers in both Lystra, his hometown, and the neighboring town of Iconium. His mother, Eunice, was a Jew and a believer, and his father was Greek, though we don’t know whether he was a believer. His grandmother’s name was Lois, and also a believer. “I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you” (2 Timothy 1:5 NLT).
If we read Acts 16:3 casually, we would miss something about Timothy’s character. The fact that he was not circumcised suggests he was educated in Greek customs. Timothy’s submission, trust, and love for others are evident. 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. Paul had just met him, yet Timothy was willing to submit to Paul’s authority and to be circumcised so they could reach the Jewish community! I can’t even imagine how that conversation went, maybe something like this: Paul: “Shalom, Timothy, do you want to travel with me to preach the Good News?” Timothy: “Χαῖρε (khairē, Hello), Paul, nice to meet you. Yes, I believe I am called. Shall I go pack?” Paul: “Yes, but before you do, there is a small matter we need to address.”
We see in the Book of Acts that Timothy was Paul’s constant traveling companion, and he was with him in prison in Rome (Philippians 1:1). He was associated with Paul in the writing of at least five of his letters. Timothy was so trusted by Paul that Paul could send him to the different churches to bring correction, rebuke, information, advice, and encouragement, even when Paul could not go himself. In 1 Corinthians 4:17 (NIV), Paul speaks of Timothy as a son in the Lord: “For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.”
In the end, Timothy was also a prisoner for the Lord Jesus: “I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released. If he arrives soon, I will come with him to see you” (Hebrews 13:23 NIV).
Writing to the Philippians, we see why Paul could trust Timothy.
- He was a truth-teller (v19 Then he can cheer me up by telling me how you are getting along.)
- He genuinely loved and cared for others (v20 I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare.)
- What mattered to Timothy is what matters to Jesus Christ: the preaching of the Good News (v21-22 All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ. But you know how Timothy has proved himself. Like a son with his father, he has served with me in preaching the Good News.)
- He was faithful, he proved himself, and he was willing to serve Paul no matter the cost.
May the Lord give us a heart like that. May we be people who can be trusted with responsibility. People who look out not only for our own interests but also care deeply about others, and are willing to go the extra mile. May we be people others can rely on; people who can be trusted to do what they say they will do. Some people spend more time making excuses than actually doing what is needed. What can be said of you? Will the person to whom you are responsible be able to say this about you: “I have no one else like him or her...”
Do you genuinely care about the welfare of others? Do you care about what matters most to Jesus, or are you preoccupied with your own interests, leaving no time for God’s purpose? Are you willing to prove yourself by faithfully preaching the Good News alongside someone else? Can you be trusted with greater responsibility? How trustworthy are you? Can you be relied on? Do you show up when you say you will? Do you come prepared? Do you do your job well? Do you do it with a joyful attitude? Can you be trusted with small responsibilities that might not advance your own dream, or do you see them only as stepping stones to where you think you are called? Can you be given greater responsibility, or do people always have to wonder whether you will be there and do what needs to be done?
If you care more about yourself than about what matters most to Jesus, you will struggle with faithfulness. But Paul does not merely say Timothy is faithful; he says he is capable because he has proved himself. We want people to validate us, yet some of us are unwilling to do the hard work of being faithful without recognition and validation. Are you willing to serve in God’s vineyard without the praise of others?
How reliable are you? Will the Lord be able to give you greater responsibility because you were faithful over a few things, or have you neglected your responsibility? Are you full of the Holy Spirit? If your answer is yes, I want to remind you that faithfulness is part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit! Will there be someone who will be able to truthfully say about you: “I have no one like him. I have no one like her.”
“Our world is obsessed with success. But how does God define success? Success in God's eyes is faithfulness to His calling.”
– Billy Graham
Prayer:
- Ask the Lord to grant you a genuine heart of care for others.
- Pray that the Lord will help you evaluate, with complete honesty and transparency, how faithful you really are, not how faithful you think you are.
- Ask the Lord to give you the strength and courage to change your unfruitful habits as needed.
- Pray that you will always prioritize what matters most to Jesus.
Posted in Joyful Living Devotional