Eunice and Lois

Eunice and Lois are mentioned only once in the Bible in 2 Timothy Chapter 1,  yet there is so much that we can learn from them and their impact on Timothy.

Remember (or feel free to research) the relationship between Paul and Timothy.  Paul first met Timothy in the city of Lystra.  Timothy was well respected by his peers and was a strong Christian man.  Paul instantly took a liking to Timothy and chose him to travel with him on his second missionary journey.

Paul writes two letters to Timothy to ask him to stay in Ephesus and help with the church.

When Paul meets Timothy in the book of Acts, Timothy is a strong Christian man.  There are many reasons why someone can be a strong Christian person.  It can be their upbringing (parents or grandparents), it can be their church, their friends a mentor or many other ways.  We find out that Timothy is a strong Christian person because of his mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois. Think about it,  That upbringing was so important that it was noted and recognized in Paul’s letter in the Bible.

Let’s read 2 Timothy 1:5

I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

These are significant women!  Even Paul recognizes this and we don’t even know if he had met them.  Maybe in his talks and relationship with Timothy, Timothy shared this with Paul.  Maybe Paul did have the honor of meeting them.  All we know is that Timothy is where he is in his Christian life due mostly to these two women.

Wow, that is a lot for us to learn!  As I write this, I am reflecting on my role as a mother and grandmother.  I don’t want to beat myself up for the past and what more of a Christian role I should have played.  God is speaking to me now and maybe to you too.  Forget the past! We can’t change it but what we can do now is move forward by being a Christian influence to our children or grandchildren.  Even if you are not a mother or grandmother, you can have a Christian influence on someone in your life (niece, nephew, neighbor - the possibilities are endless)

How can we do this?  Well, we can start slow and progress.  

Start by just praying for them!  Pray for their lives, their health, their life decisions.

Talk to them!  Get to know them and what worries them or what scares them or what decisions they need to make.  Let them know you are there for them to talk with, to pray with, to cry with, to celebrate with - Anything they need.

Pray specifics!  Now that you are talking with them, your prayers can be more specific to their needs.  This could be prayers for their protection, their health, finding the right friends,their job, knowing You and your love for them.

Psalm 103:17 says “Lord, I pray that You will remind my children daily that Your love for them is everlasting”.

Pray WITH them!  If they don’t know, teach them to pray.  Have regular time together to pray together!  Again, start slow.  Maybe pray before the meal before you eat and pray with them at bedtime.  If you don’t know how to pray with them, reach out to a Christian friend, pastor, or even me.  I would love to help you and guide you on how to pray with them.

Teach them how to love as Christ did.  Show them love, show them kindness, show them forgiveness!

As you start these small steps, your relationship can grow into Bible study together, ministry together, etc etc.  There are endless possibilities!

None of us know what all Eunice and Lois did and did not do with Timothy.  All we know is that they did SOMETHING.

I am asking you today to do SOMETHING for that special relative or person in your life so that someone will say….

I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in INSERT YOUR NAME and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

Be that person to your kids or whomever you choose.  If we choose to help impact someone on their Christian journey, then know that they will impact someone who will impact someone so on and so forth.  I am sure Eunice and Lois could not have imagined that Timothy would be the evangelist that he became because of them.

Start today with prayer!