Paul is arguably the greatest missionary/evangelist/church-planter ever! He is the main one in the New Testament. And when it came time to pass the torch/ pour into the next guy/ mentor/ and leave the work in someone else’s hands He chose Timothy.

First and Second Timothy are two personal letters that Paul wrote to younger Timothy explaining and encouraging him to keep going strong for Jesus.

Timothy was a man with a “sincere faith” and full of understanding from the Scriptures. So God had saved Timothy and led him to Paul, and Paul was mentoring him and preparing him to continue the work.

So the question is, how did Timothy become so solid? so faithful? so grounded and godly?

Lois and Eunice were some of the key ingredients. Eunice was Timothy’s mother, and Lois was his grandmother. Paul said they that had a “sincere faith” too. In chapter 3 verses 14-15 Paul reminds Timothy to:

“continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”

This awesome young man of God, Timothy, who Paul saw and mentored to take his place had been taught and raised by his mother and grandmother “to learn” the Bible, to “firmly believe,” knowing from whom he learned it. In all likelihood, Timothy could say that God used the good godly upbringing of his mom and grandma to make him into the man he was.

That’s awesome! I have three sons right now. JJ is 4 years old. Eli is 2, almost 3. And Noah is one. I have only one great desire for them- that they know and love Jesus. He is the only thing that will satisfy them.

What I am doing right now will help determine that. What we do tonight and tomorrow morning (and every future night and morning) will help contribute to that.

I wish I knew more of what Lois and Eunice did. What was their secret formula to raise a son like that? But I do know this, they taught him the Word of God from infancy. And that takes lots of time.

As a parent, I want to be like Lois and Eunice.