As an older, experienced apostle, Paul writes his first letter to Timothy, who he calls a true son in the faith. Facing a heavy burden of responsibility as a young pastor in the Ephesus church, Paul encourages Timothy to face his challenges as a leader by sharing some trustworthy guidelines that we too can follow to keep us on the right path of faith and godliness.

Paul begins by thanking God for giving him the spiritual power he needs for his ministry. In other words, Paul didn’t operate in his own ability, but in Christ’s. He also says Christ recognized and judged him trustworthy, even though he (when he was Saul) was a hateful persecutor of the church, and despite this, God declared and made Paul faithful in his ministry.

Paul also recognized God selected him to be an apostle, even though he did not earn it or deserve it. In Ephesians 2:8, Paul says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” Paul uses his conversion and commission testimony to give Timothy an example of how great the grace, love, and mercy of God is.

No matter what we know about ourselves or no matter what we might one day realize, God is big enough to forgive, cleanse, and use us to have a spiritual impact on the lives of others—just as he did for Paul, Timothy, and so many men and women who have followed in their footsteps. 

Querido Padre Celestial,

Thank You for the added strength You give us to spread the Gospel. You chose and appointed each of us to go and bear fruit that will last, as we use our faith in Your Word to guide us. Thank You for Your love, mercy, grace and for filling us with the knowledge of Your will in all wisdom and understanding that we may walk worthy of You, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of You. In the Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen. 

Share your testimony. Like Paul, we have a powerful testimony of God's grace and transformation in our lives. Sharing our story of redemption not only encourages others but also reminds us of God's faithfulness throughout our journey. By openly sharing our experiences, we can inspire and uplift those around us, pointing them towards the hope found in Christ.