The Instruction to Timothy

Timothy. Timothy was a young believer from Lystra who traveled with Paul during his second and third missionary journey. Paul’s request that Timothy stay in Ephesus to minister to the believers there demonstrates Paul’s confidence in the young man.

Paul instructed Timothy to be diligent in following godly teachings. “Give yourself wholly to them,” he wrote, “so that everyone may see your progress” (1 Timothy 4:15). That’s sound advice for us today, as well.

Possibly because of his youth or natural temperament, Timothy was prone to timidity (fear) and may have been reluctant to accept heavy responsibilities. In these verses (6, 7) Paul is reminding him that the Holy Spirit’s fullness and gifts provide enabling power to exercise one’s ministry.

Like Timothy, many of us, hear the call, understand the mandate, but because of our feelings of not being enough, we hesitate. We do not think we can be an effective witness. All we need is the presence of God and he will give us the courage to go out and be an effective witness.