Read 2 Timothy 1:2.
There is much to say about the man Timothy, and much of it will come through the course of our walk through this letter. Here, we see Timothy’s relationship to Paul – he is like a son to Paul. Their relationship began in AD 50 when Paul stopped in Lystra as part of his second missionary journey. Take a moment and read Acts 16:1-3 for what Paul saw in Timothy.
Timothy was perhaps still a teen when Paul met him. Many scholars feel this is the case because Paul refers to Timothy as a “young man” in 1 Timothy, written some 15 years later. Note Timothy’s heritage: half Jew and half Greek. His father was probably not a believer. He was well spoken of by the brothers of the faith, meaning he had a good reputation. He must have been fairly well known in the area because people knew his father was Greek. In order to eliminate distractions from the gospel message, Timothy was circumcised for the sake of the Jews. I suspect there were Jews who were unsure of Timothy’s allegiance. Word of Timothy’s circumcision would have erased any doubts.
What was it about Timothy that caused Paul to take him along with him for what would be a very long and difficult journey? Consider that only a few years earlier, Paul took another young man with him by the name of Mark. Paul did not want to repeat what had happened on their first missionary journey when a young John Mark was unable to continue on, who deserted them part way into the trip (Acts 13:13; 16:15:37-38). Paul must have seen a more durable candidate in Timothy. I imagine his reputation had something to do with it. Timothy must have been seen as highly committed, loyal, and adaptable, especially considering that he was willing to be circumcised for the sake of the Jews. With this in mind, it is interesting that Timothy seems to be timid, possibly lacking confidence (cf. 2 Tim. 1:6-7; 1 Cor. 16:10-11; 1 Tim. 4:12). Committed and adaptable, and yet lacking confidence. This combination tells me that Timothy was both teachable and courageous. Timothy was a bud, but Paul saw a rose.
To consider: What is remarkable about Timothy is that his commitment to serve exceeded his lack of confidence. In some respects, his timidity kept him humble, yet his commitment inspired courage. He was willing to courageously step out despite a lack of confidence. With Paul at his side, Timothy was willing to humbly serve in ways that were uncomfortable. Looking back, have there been times when your lack of confidence exceeded your commitment – when you were committed to serve, but not enough to do what was most uncomfortable? Do you have a Paul at your side who believes in you and will encourage you in your walk of faith? If not, is there someone who might fit the bill?