“And a disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek, and he was well spoken of by the brethren…”
(Acts 16:1-2)
Timothy didn’t come from a glorious spiritual heritage. His mother and his grandmother were believers (see 2 Tim 1:5) and committed to the faith, but the implication of Acts 16 is that his father wasn’t. The details are never laid out, but Timothy had grown up in a household divided.
Yet, Timothy turned out to be Timothy. A well-spoken of young man who went on to become the greatest apprentice Paul ever had. In fact, Paul eventually referred to him as a “son”. We can’t choose where we begin, but we can choose who we end up becoming. We can’t choose the family we are born into, but we can join His family. Timothy’s father is never mentioned again by the Holy Spirit, but Paul and Timothy’s father/son relationship is honored throughout the New Testament.
Do not despair if your “pedigree” is less than stellar. Also, do not overly preen if you come from a strong family heritage – your parents’ faith won’t save you. In Christ, we are all made into a new family with one Father.
Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites