"But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition. For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare. For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus. But you know of his proven worth that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving his father. Therefore I hope to send him immediately, as soon as I see how things go with me; and I trust in the Lord that I myself also shall be coming shortly. But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need; because he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. Therefore I have sent him all the more eagerly in order that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less concerned about you. Therefore receive him in the Lord with all joy, and hold men like him in high regard; because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was deficient in your service to me." Philippians 2:19-30 NIV
As Christians, we are called to live our lives in a certain manner. A manner that would be pleasing to God and would be a witness to all those around us. When I think of the sort of lifestyle we are expected to live, the following characteristics come to mind: Integrity, Selflessness, Perserverance, Servanthood, and Sacrifice. In the scriptures above, we see that Timothy and Epaphroditus lived a life with these characteristics. Paul describes Timothy as a "kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare. For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus." Paul goes on to state about Timothy "that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving his father". Of Epaphroditus Paul states "my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need," and goes on to state that the Philippians should "hold men like him in high regard."
Over the last few years, the Lord has really been working in me about how I show these characteristics in my own life. Sure, I can "talk the walk", but can I truly "walk the walk"? Will I not just say I KNOW I should help the family down the street that isn't always able to put a full meal on the table, but that I WILL actually do something and share a meal with that family? Will I just say "I don't have time to teach a Sunday School class" or will I pray about it and re-evaluate my priorities and find that I am able to teach that Sunday School class? Will I just say "Thank you Lord for providing my family with so much" or will I take it one step further and say "Thank you Lord for providing for my family and because of that I am going to take what you have provided for me and share it with a family that does not have as much"?
The qualities of Timothy and Epaphroditus are the same qualities we should seek to show in our daily lives. If our lives are lived with these characteristics we will find that we can live a life full of JOY in Christ. There is JOY is reaching out to a world in need and showing them you love them, care about them, and are there to help them and show them the way to Christ.
As Christians, we are called to live our lives in a certain manner. A manner that would be pleasing to God and would be a witness to all those around us. When I think of the sort of lifestyle we are expected to live, the following characteristics come to mind: Integrity, Selflessness, Perserverance, Servanthood, and Sacrifice. In the scriptures above, we see that Timothy and Epaphroditus lived a life with these characteristics. Paul describes Timothy as a "kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare. For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus." Paul goes on to state about Timothy "that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving his father". Of Epaphroditus Paul states "my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need," and goes on to state that the Philippians should "hold men like him in high regard."
Over the last few years, the Lord has really been working in me about how I show these characteristics in my own life. Sure, I can "talk the walk", but can I truly "walk the walk"? Will I not just say I KNOW I should help the family down the street that isn't always able to put a full meal on the table, but that I WILL actually do something and share a meal with that family? Will I just say "I don't have time to teach a Sunday School class" or will I pray about it and re-evaluate my priorities and find that I am able to teach that Sunday School class? Will I just say "Thank you Lord for providing my family with so much" or will I take it one step further and say "Thank you Lord for providing for my family and because of that I am going to take what you have provided for me and share it with a family that does not have as much"?
The qualities of Timothy and Epaphroditus are the same qualities we should seek to show in our daily lives. If our lives are lived with these characteristics we will find that we can live a life full of JOY in Christ. There is JOY is reaching out to a world in need and showing them you love them, care about them, and are there to help them and show them the way to Christ.
1 Thoughts Shared:
I really enjoyed your thoughts on character! This is something the Lord has been speaking to me about too!
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