Timothy Didn't Just Happen--He Was "Reared Right"

By Samuel E. Ward   Mothers Day May 13, 2012   One day four ministers stood talking and, as so often happens, the conversation soon drifted to shop talk.  "I prefer the King James Version of Scripture," said one, "for its eloquent use of the English language." A second minister gave forth that no Bible could match theNew American Standard for its faithfulness to the original Greek and Hebrew text.  "That may well be," said the third, "but I prefer the New International Version for its contemporary language and easy readability."  There was a thoughtful period of silence, and then the fourth minister said, "I like my mother's translation best."  It was with some surprise that the others said: "We didn't know that your mother had translated the Bible."  "Yes, she did," he replied. "She translated it into her daily life, and it was through her translation that I came to faith."   On this Mother's Day, let's remember two mothers: Lois, who was grandmother of Timothy, and Eunice, Timothy's mother.  In particular, I want to honor the heritage given Timothy because a mother and a grandmother loved him enough to give him their most precious possession: the gift of faith.   I. Let's Begin with What Timothy Became   A. Paul mentions Timothy as co-sender of six of his letters.  (2 Cor, Phil, Col, 1 Thes, 2 Thes, Philemon) B. Paul also spoke highly of Timothy in his letter to the Philippians as deeply committed servant of the Lord. (Phil 2:22) C. Paul called Timothy "my true son in the faith." (1 Tim 1:2) D. Paul considered Timothy to be the inheritor of Paul's mission. E. Paul addressed Timothy as "my beloved child" in his final letter to Timothy near the end of Paul's life. (2 Tim 1:2)   II. Let's Take a Look at Timothy's Two Fathers   A. His Biological Father Was Greek B. His Spiritual Father Was a Jewish Christian (emphasis on "Christian")   To Paul, Timothy was . . .   1.  My son whom I love.   (1 Cor 4:17 NIV)  I am sending 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.   2. My son who serves God with me.   (Phil 2:22 NIV)  But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel.   3. My son begotten by me in the faith.   (1 Tim 1:2 NIV)  To Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.   4. My son to whom I impart my best spiritual counsel about life   (1 Tim 1:18 NIV)  Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight.   5. My son whose cares are my cares.   (2 Tim 1:2-4 NIV)  To Timothy, my dear son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. {3} I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. {4} Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy.   III. Let's Meet Grandma Lois and Mama Eunice   (2 Tim 1:5 NIV)  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.   A. Their Faith Was Sincere. B. Their Faith Was "Lived In and Out, Through and Through." C. Their Faith Was Believed and Accepted by Timothy.   IV. Characteristics of Faith that Passes On to Your Children   A. It Is Seen in its Sincerity—Not Faked   The faith is described as being a "sincere" (Gr., ἀνυποκρίτου) faith.  Literally, it is faith without hypocrisy, not "faked."  A hypocrite is one who does things for "show."  Jesus defined spiritual hypocrisy for us in Matthew 23:28.   (Mat 23:28 NIV)  In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.   B. It Is Seen in its Practice—Not Just Theory and Doctrine     People of sincere faith today are the ones who "walk the walk" as well as the "talk the talk." One of the greatest detriments to passing faith from generation to generation today is forgetting that in child-rearing more is "caught" than "taught."  It is not so much what you say to a child that influences their behavior as much as what you do.    "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it" we read in Proverbs 22:6 (NIV).    Have you ever considered that the opposite is also true.  That if you model for a child a way he should not go, when he is old he will not turn from it, either.  The child is most likely to become what his parents are.  If they are sincere practitioners of the faith, then their children are likely to be as well.  If they make a claim to be Christian but choose to live according to a worldly standard, the child will most likely live according to that same standard and not even bother to pretend to be Christian. This is the most dangerous outcome of all because the child has seen a form of Christianity and has concluded from his parents that it is a sham.  It has only been a "form of Godliness" but lacking its "power", as Paul warned Timothy about in 2 Tim 3:5.  It would probably be better that the child experience a home completely without Christ so that when he/she sees the real thing, they will know the difference.  At any rate, Christ loves children and watches over them holding accountable all those adults who had influence over them for good or ill.   C. It Is Exercised with Same Spirit of Love and Care for Children as Christ Has.   1. The love of Christ for children.   (Luke 18:15-17 NIV)  People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them.  {16} But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. {17} I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."   2. The warning of Christ to those who cause them to stumble.   (Mat 18:6-7 NIV)  But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. {7} "Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come!   It is obvious that Lois modeled the life of Jesus and taught the principles of the gospel to her daughter, Eunice, who did the same for her son, Timothy.  They did it so well that when it came time to choose between the pagan Greek culture of his father or the way of Christ, Timothy chose the way of Christ.  Timothy had been raised so well in the faith that the apostle Paul chose to mentor him further.  This only magnifies further the efforts of Lois and Eunice to raise up a boy who would grow up to not only live for Christ, but to suffer for him, as well. Paul reminded Timothy one of the secrets to Timothy's spiritual success was that "from infancy (Gr. βρέφους = baby) you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.  It follows that the Scriptures had been uses by Lois and Eunice to teach him, rebuke him, correct him, train him in righteousness so that he would be equipped to be able to always do the right and good thing (2 Tim 3:16).   Conclusion:   I can still hear my Grandma Ward say,  "Sammy, – I watched you walk to school today.  I was proud of you because you walked tall, you walked straight, and you looked straight ahead.  You will do well if you always remember that in all your ways you walk tall without shame, straight without departing from the right path, and you keep looking straight ahead to where you need to go."  I do not doubt that she prayed for me every single day of my life while she was alive.