If there is one thing I love about Timothy, it is that he gave expression to the call of God on His life at a very young age and his mother was very instrumental to that.
Now, the instructions for training up a child in the way and admonition of the Lord was directed to fathers in the scriptures, Ephesians 6:4, “And you fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.”
God expects men to lead the way their children ought to follow.
Timothy’s case was different. His father was Greek (these were people who didn’t know God). If he had anything to offer, it would have probably been the right morals but much of this was not common among the Greeks of those days. But Timothy’s mother was a Jew.
If a Greek had to marry a Jew, he would have to be initiated into the Jewish religion, hence would become a proselyte but none of this was said about Timothy’s father. His name was not even mentioned. Acts 16:1-2 , “Then he 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”
I am sure Eunice (Timothy’s mother) knew the seed she carried was not ordinary but a precious gift to the earth. She nutured him. The Jews were known to train a child with Torah right from a young age, she didn’t exempt Timothy. Even Paul testified that Timothy had known the holy scriptures from his childhood (2Timothy 3:15).
May God bless all the women who have taken it upon themselves to nuture children without the right father figure. Women who wear men’s hats and still keep their heads up high.
Timothy’s faith was traced to his mother not his father. 1Timothy 1:5 “When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and I am persuaded in you also.”
May God raise more men who will take up the responsibilities of nuturing their children’s destiny, knowing full well that they are preserving generations to come when they train one seed.
What blessedness is the gift that was in Timothy, which was identified and nutured early by his mother.
Dear young Lady, if he does not love the Lord or know Him, he can’t train up a child in the way of the Lord. He can’t give what he does not have. So before you leap, don’t just look, be led.
