Acts 16:1-5, Timothy Works with Paul and Silas

1Paul and Silas went back to Derbe and Lystra, where there was a follower named Timothy. His mother was also a follower. She was Jewish, and his father was Greek. 2The Lord's followers in Lystra and Iconium said good things about Timothy, 3and Paul wanted him to go with them. But Paul first had him circumcised, because all the Jewish people around there knew that Timothy's father was Greek. 4As Paul and the others went from city to city, they told the followers what the apostles and leaders in Jerusalem had decided, and they urged them to follow these instructions. 5The churches became stronger in their faith, and each day more people put their faith in the Lord.

What would you give up to be an effective disciple? Without being salacious, Timothy gave up his foreskin. And, we all know circumcision is not a requirement for salvation. Paul was demanding an awful lot. Most of us wouldn't have blamed Timothy if he'd have said "no thanks!"

Today we're more interested in what we can get away with than what we might have to do without. We no longer believe in abstinence from alcohol "because the bible doesn't require it". Some of our clergy no longer abstain from marrying divorced people "because the bylaws have changed".

"Oh, those are just cultural things" we say. Well, believe me when I tell you, drinking is every bit as much a "cultural thing" as not drinking.

What's next?

The question should never be "Why do I have to give this up?" The question should always be "Is there anything in my life that looks like the world?" Remember...as believers we are not citizens of this world so we shouldn't derive our well-being from partaking of the things in this world. In fact, it is axiomatic...the more we look like this world the less we look like Christ. It's unavoidable.

In Timothy's case...he didn't want to look like his father...a Greek, because it would surely impact his ability to be an effective disciple.

So the question naturally follows...how much of the world can we reflect and still be an effective disciple?10%? 20%? Of course. when we ask such a question we only show that we aren't serious about being a disciple.

Live boldly out there today...