The Family Tradition
3. I thank God, Whom I serve from my forefathers with a pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembered you in my prayers night and day;
4. Greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy;
5. When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which first dwelled in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice; and I am persuaded is in you also.
6. Wherefore, I put you in remembrance that you stir up the Gift of God, which is in you by the putting on of my hands.
2 Timothy 1:3-6
Keep the Faith
Paul’s second letter to Timothy is filled with words of encouragement on fulfilling the calling of the Gospel. If one is not careful, there is the possibility of becoming stagnant in the Faith, comfortable in the world, and complacent in doing the Will of Almighty God. There is an urgency in sharing the Faith that must become the priority in the way we live and interact with others. If our Faith is to be genuine it must be practiced every day to its fullest extent.
Mothers and grandmothers play a key role in helping children to remember their gift of Faith. Lois and Eunice were instrumental in helping Timothy find his own gift of Faith in the Lord Jesus. This leads us to ask the question of why it is so important to discover Faith in our generation? It is critical that we “keep the Faith” because we are living in perilous times where immorality will literally destroy a person’s life. The Bible is very clear when it warns that the wages of sin is death. Sin destroys both the body and the souls of people. But when Faith works in a person’s life, it guides them away from sinful practices because it reminds them to be accountable to God. We are also to keep the Faith because it provides light in a dark world. Do you realize the impact of a faithless society? What if there were no people who followed their Faith to help others in need or to provide some service of kindness? The world would be totally self-centered and filled with pride. Another reason why we are to keep the Faith is because of Christ returning to redeem His people and to judge the world. So often we may feel that the world will continue the downward spiral into wickedness but the Bible gives a different ending. Jesus Christ will return and put an end to the reign of evil. That is referred to as the “Blessed Hope” when our Lord comes back to establish His Heavenly Kingdom and to put down all wickedness. What a glorious time that will be when righteousness will fill the earth! It is for these reasons that we must do everything in our power to help each other to “keep the Faith.” It is critical that we earnestly contend for the Faith.
Faith is the Gift to Remember
Family traditions are an integral part in passing on the Faith. We all have some family traditions that may have been passed down to us. In every case, there is one element that stands out. It is the ability to remember. We have all heard the story told about the mother who would prepare the Thanksgiving turkey by cutting the turkey in half prior to placing it in the oven. When some family members asked why this was part of the preparation, the mother replied, “that’s the way my mother did it.” So that mother asked her mother, “why she cut the turkey in half prior to placing it in the oven,” she replied, “that is the way my mother cooked it.” At that point, mother and daughter decided to go to Big Momma and ask why she cut the turkey in half prior to placing it in the oven. Big Momma simply said, “that’s easy – my oven was too small so I had to cut the turkey in half to get it to fit.” That became the family tradition. Some family traditions may not be that humorous but they are probably meaningful. Yet, none of the traditions are as important as the Gift of Faith.
As Paul wrote to Timothy, he used the term “remember” to emphasize the Gift of God that had been passed along. There are four priorities that Paul urges Timothy to remember. The first priority is prayer. The second priority is the tears of dedication. The third priority is the tradition passed on from Timothy’s grandmother Lois and mother Eunice. The fourth priority is to stir up God’s Gift.
How do each of these priorities link together to form a solid foundation for our Faith in God? Let’s start with prayer. I thank God, Whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembered you in my prayers night and day. Prayer starts and ends with God. Calling out to God and mentioning someone to God is the greatest way to demonstrate that we care. Prior to my mother’s passing, I was able to work a job that allowed me the privilege to spend a couple of nights each week at Mom’s house. One of the first things that my mother did each morning was to get her Bible and read and then she would pray. One morning, as I got up, I noticed her praying to God. I knew instantly that she was praying for her family and asking God to help them live right in His eyes. In this passage, Paul is letting Timothy know that prayer is a powerful way to not only remember God, but to also remember the people that we care about. It is easy for us to worry about those we love. It is easy for us to even criticize the ones we love. So, why not remember them in prayer and ask God to guide them in paths of righteousness for His Name sake?
The second priority Paul uses to encourage Timothy is that he remembers the tears of dedication. Greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy. Why would Timothy’s tears bring joy to Paul? While there is not an explanation in the text, I think it is apparent that Timothy’s walk of Faith meant a great deal to Paul. Tears are a sincere expression of both affection as well as struggle. The Christian life will not always be easy. There will be moments of great trial. There will be times of conflict. Paul knew well that some of Timothy’s tears were the results of adversity because he too had to face opposition and conflict. Timothy’s tears meant that he was “going through” and that was most important. Those tears of dedication meant that no matter what, Timothy was going on with Jesus and there was no turning back. This caused Paul to long to see him and to encourage him even more to keep the Faith and even fight for the Faith. If you notice, little children are very responsive to other children crying. They will even cry with them without knowing why. Paul was simply saying to Timothy, “I share in your struggles even though I may not be there with you.” Those are the tears of dedication.
Needless to say, those are the tears that many mothers have shared with their children and for their children. Those tears of dedication have stained the cheeks of many mothers as they have waited for their children to come home. Many have also shed tears of joy as they watched their children come to the Faith. The tears are also an expression of confidence that someway, somehow, God is going to work all things out for His Glory and for our good.
The Apostle Paul also encouraged Timothy by remembering the influence of godly mothers. This is the priority of tradition. When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which first dwelled in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice; and I am persuaded is in you also. What was the tradition? It was the genuine Faith. The Book of Acts tells us that Timothy’s father was a Greek while his mother and grandmother were Jewish. While there is no mention of whether Timothy’s father was a believer, we are certain that his grandmother and mother were saved. They not only expressed their Faith through confession, they possessed the Faith that spoke to others. It was genuine Faith. Notice also, it was passed along from Lois and then to Eunice and finally was reflected in Timothy’s life. While people may come from different geographical areas and may have different economic backgrounds, Faith is the same no matter where it originates. It is Faith in One Person – The Lord Jesus. It is saving Faith. It is Faith that loves God. It is Faith that conquers sin and makes us a child of God. That was the tradition that was passed along from Timothy’s grandmother and mother. That should be the Faith that we pass along in our families today.
So how do we pass along our family tradition. This introduces us to the fourth priority that Paul presents, we must stir up the Gift of God. Wherefore, I put you in remembrance that you stir up the Gift of God, which is in you by the putting on of my hands. While Timothy’s Gift was part of a ceremony called the “laying on of hands,” the Gift is also transferrable by simply praying and asking God to work in a person’s life. After all, God is the One doing the gift giving. With that being said, each of us should be actively stirring up God’s Gift in our own lives.
Here are three simple things that can help us in stirring up God’s Gift. First, remember to pay attention to God’s Word. Notice this is not simply reading the Bible but actually searching the Scripture. Develop a holy appetite for internalizing the Bible and digesting it into your heart. The second way to stir up God’s Gift is through prayer. Talk to God and ask Him to give you power to live right. God delights in every prayer that seeks to honor His Will. Lastly, stir up God’s Gift by sharing with others what God has given you. Pass on the Faith to someone else. They may not be members of your own personal family, but if you share with them your Faith, they could become members of God’s family. By sharing your Gift, you would be carrying on the Family Tradition.