SUNDAY February 9, 2025

Do You Have a Good Reputation?

Then he [Paul] came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek. He was well spoken of by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium.
Acts 16:1-2

Timothy had a good reputation among the brethren in Lystra and Iconium. Paul took note and began to pour into Timothy’s life. He discipled him and brought him along on his journeys––his missionary trips. Paul and Timothy went out together to proclaim the Gospel. They were very united and became good companions. You see, Paul took Timothy everywhere with him because he saw that he was faithful.

Paul had prayed for Timothy, and the Lord gifted him. He became a young pastor, teaching in the ministry. The Apostle became his spiritual mentor, and later, in 2 Timothy, he exhorted him to stir up his spiritual gift: Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands (2 Timothy 1:6).

Paul invested about 30 years of his time into Timothy's young life. The name Timothy means “honor” or “honored of God.” For certain, God’s hand was upon him. In Paul’s heart, he perceived that God would use this young man’s life greatly. He knew Timothy was on fire for the Lord. Timothy stood with Paul through thick and thin, and because of this, he suffered tremendously as his companion and helper.

Paul knew if he tried to speak to the Jews with Timothy as a companion, they would not listen to him. Why? Timothy was not circumcised. It seems that his father remained a Greek; he never became a Jewish proselyte, but his mother was Jewish. So, as Paul wanted to have him go on with him ... he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek (Acts 16:3).

Do you have a good reputation in your church and outside of the church, among your community? Do people see Christ in the way you live your life? Character counts! You need a good reputation.

Does Christ get a good reputation because of the way we live? Is the excellence of Christ displayed in our lives? That should matter to us, not whether we ourselves are praised.
~John Piper~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!