God’s Word for You
Acts 16:1-2 A good name
by Pastor Timothy Smith on Friday, September 18, 2020
16 Paul came to Derbe and also to Lystra. There was a certain disciple there named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. 2 The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him.
It’s amazing that Paul returned to Lystra. It was there that he had healed a crippled man (Acts 14:10), and after that he and Barnabas had been mistaken for Zeus and Hermes. But then, when some Jews arrived from the south, their jealousy won over the crowds, and Paul was stoned almost to death and left for dead (Acts 14:19). Now he went back and found that a certain Christian man there named Timothy had a good reputation among the believers of more than one city. “Timothy” means “He honors God,” and could be a pagan name, but his mother probably chose it to be a name that could show his Christian faith as well.
Timothy’s mother was named Eunice (2 Timothy 1:5), and her mother (his grandmother) was called Lois. These women were also known to Paul. Timothy’s father, a Greek, is not spoken of in Christian terms, and we can safely count him as a pagan, but a pagan who at least did not object to his son being raised according to his mother’s faith. Such marriages are rare. More often, a religiously mixed marriage strives for a ‘least common denominator’ faith which effectively nullifies the beliefs of the Christian. The unbeliever pretends that the Christian faith of his wife doesn’t bother him, but the true Word of God will inevitably make him squirm. He won’t like being reminded of his sins, or worse, being judged for his sins. He will fight against it. But Timothy’s father seems to have allowed his son’s training in righteousness.
It says a lot about Timothy that he had a good reputation in more than just his hometown. He was still young, but he had a name that was known and respected in the Christian circle.
A good reputation is easy to lose. Once it’s lost, it’s difficult, almost impossible, to get it back. A man who serves God with all his strength and soul and mind but who falls into a single sin will often be jeered at and mistrusted. A Christian woman who has led an exemplary life but who stumbles into a public sin can sometimes be so scorned that it brings her to tears just thinking about going out into a public place. But for those who lose their good name, there is forgiveness from God. After David sinned, he was forgiven, and he still served the Lord (Psalm 51:1-6; 2 Samuel 12:24-25). When the prophet Hosea’s wife fell into adultery and was divorced, God told the prophet to forgive her and take her back, and he did: he took her back and loved her (Hosea 3:1-3, 2:14,19). After Peter betrayed Jesus, the Lord forgave him and restored him to his place (John 21:15-19). And after Mark abandoned Paul and was one of the reasons Paul and Barnabas parted company, Paul found that Mark was a useful worker in God’s kingdom after all (2 Timothy 4:11; Philemon 1:24). All these are Christians who lost their reputation but gained it back, by the grace of God.
Your name has a moving place in people’s hearts. Was there a scandal that has crippled your name? Think of your reputation this way: It will be a long road back, but you can take the steps that will improve your reputation. Don’t give up. Remember that God your Shepherd “restores your soul. He guides you in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake” (Psalm 23:3).
Or there might be something in your past that you have put behind you, and now through careful steps and devotion to God, you have shown that a stumble is not the same as a collapse. Others with private disgraces may look to you as an example. Moses was once a murderer, but he became a respected leader and a prophet unlike any other (Exodus 2:12; Deuteronomy 34:10). You can pray with David, “O Sovereign Lord, deal well with me for your name’s sake; out of the goodness of your love, deliver me” (Psalm 109:21).
Or perhaps your reputation is something you’ve never really paid close attention to. “It is what it is,” you think. But your children or your neighbors are watching. What could you do to set a better example today than the more neutral example you set last month? You can show that God’s word is precious to you, that worshiping God is important to you, and that making a change in your life for the better is something you’re willing to do for the sake of Jesus. That kind of a desire in you will be noticed by God and by the people around you. They will see that forgiveness lifts the heart. “The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down” (Psalm 146:8). “He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ashes” (1 Samuel 2:8; Psalm 113:7). If he has done this for you, praise him! Give him glory! His mercy endures forever.
In Christ,
Pastor Timothy Smith
Pastor Smith serves St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in New Ulm, Minnesota. To receive God’s Word for You via e-mail, please visit the St. Paul’s Lutheran Church website.