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
Paul was the premiere leader of the early church, and his influence fueled the passing of the faith to new locations and people who learned from him to keep passing the faith along. In a very real way he has major credit for the fact that all of us have faith today.
Paul understood God’s strategy for passing along the Gospel and the marvelous plan of God from one generation to another. Paul had no biological children, but he had many spiritual children. He carefully chose the most capable and faithful to be major leaders in the church. Timothy was the son of a Greek father and a Jewish mother. He was so trusted by Paul that two of the letters Paul wrote to him are included in our New Testament. Paul calls Timothy "my true son in the faith" (1 Timothy 1:2). Probably only in his late teens or early twenties when he became part of Paul’s team, he was already recognized as one of the faithful. His ministry was distinguished. Timothy served as Paul’s representative to several churches (1 Corinthians 4:17; Philippians 2:19), and he was later a pastor in Ephesus (1 Timothy 1:3). Timothy is also mentioned as being with Paul when Paul wrote several New Testament letters – 2 Corinthians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, and Philemon – and accompanied Paul as a co-missionary on one of his journeys.
Paul’s comments about Timothy set him apart from anyone else Paul mentions among his valued co-workers. He says Timothy had a “genuine faith,” the same as that which “filled” his mother and grandmother. Their faith was no casual thing. It filled and directed their lives. We have no indication that Timothy’s father ever became a believer. But we do know that his mother and grandmother lived with such passion and faithfulness that Eunice and Lois prepared Timothy’s heart to accept Christ. They made him ready by teaching Timothy the Old Testament Scriptures and preparing him from the very start to recognize the Messiah when He appeared. Paul says, “You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 3:15 NLT). When Paul came preaching Christ, they all three recognized that he spoke God’s truth, and they all committed their lives to the Savior.
We too must prepare our children to be ready to hear and recognize the call of Jesus to them; to recognize the call of the Spirit. We can follow the example of Eunice and Lois, actively filling our hearts with faith, then teaching our children through words and example to follow Jesus too.
- Like Paul, Eunice, and Lois, we all have children to lead to a strong, active faith, whether biological or not. Who has God given you?