lectio divina:: timothy

I just finished writing a series for the students called, “the super-amazing-adventures-of-an-ordinary-church-kid,” about the New Testament leader named Timothy. let me just say that I have read A LOT about Timothy in the last month or so. if there is a book about him, I'm pretty sure I've got it and I've read it. but there aren't many. he's still just as invisible as he seemed to be in the first century. I like Timothy- he reminds me of me. Throughout the series, I make the case that Timothy is not your average leader- and probably wouldn’t be considered as a leadership-type of person these days. here are some of his characteristics-

// he’s quiet, timid, and probably nervous.

2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” Paul is reminding Timothy that timidity is not from God- Timothy was probably timid. I like this statement in 1 Corinthians 16:10: “When Timothy comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am.” its almost like he’s saying, “go easy on the kid- he’s a little skiddish.”

// timothy is kind of fragile, physically.

in 1 Timothy 5:23, Paul tells Timothy, “Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.” sounds like Timothy was making a lot of trips to the first century bathroom…

// he’s just a kid-

at the END of his life, Paul is still telling Timothy to not let his youth bother himself or anybody else- 1 Timothy 4:12: “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”

// timothy had some social issues-

in Acts 16, we first meet Timothy- he lives in a little town called Lystra; and the bible says, “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.” since he is half Greek, timothy would not have been allowed to worship with the other jews. he would have been teased and left out. it sounds like he had some problems among his parents too- he wasn’t circumcised when he was a baby. it sounds like his parents had a conflict in how to raise the boy- dad wanted him greek, and mom wanted him jewish.

so- here is a kid who comes from a little town, has conflict at home, no friends, is fragile, and is probably socially awkward. doesn’t sound like much of a leader- but God used this kid, and made him a leader. when this kid met Jesus everything changed- he never really got brave or strong- but God used him.

and I think about me when I was a kid: from a small town. socially awkward. conflict at home. physically fragile. not really leadership material. but everything changed when I met Jesus. just like timothy, I’m still shy and somewhat awkward, but I get to do some cool things for God. and just like Timothy I can just shake my head and think, “I don’t deserve it, but I’m taking it- and I’m going to take it as far as I can.” I have often said that when I was a kid, I never thought that I would be anyone's leader in a million years. I never thought that I would get anywhere near a stage or a microphone- or that God could use me to help crowds of people, but by His grace, here I am. an ordinary church kid. I look forward to meeting Timothy in heaven someday and sharing a few stories.

if you ever think that you are not qualified to do something for God, think again. if you think that you're too quiet to be a leader, or that you're not "leadership material" or that you don't come from the right family, or that your past has too many problems in it, or that you could never be a leader for God, its just not true. there is an old missionary saying that goes, “God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called.” and I’m taking that one all the way to the bank. and you can too.

God is love.
-rev-rob