“Seek the Good of Others”

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

BIBLE READING: Hebrews 13:1–3; 2 Timothy 1:16–18; Acts 16:13–15; Acts 2:42–47; Acts 4:32–35

“May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains, but when he arrived in Rome the searched for me earnestly and found me” (2 Timothy 1.16-17)

Paul wrote 2 Timothy from a prison cell. It was a difficult time for Paul, made more difficult by trusted friends who abandoned him in his hour of need (2 Timothy 1.15). In stark contrast to them was Onesiphorus, who went out of his way to track Paul down and visit him in prison.

We considered the import of faithfulness to one another last week, and this brief memoir demonstrates that point. Paul was not a superhero of faith. Even he felt burdened to the point of despair at times (2 Corinthians 1.8) because his ministry was demanding and discouraging. But in this moment he was refreshed because Onesiphorus made extraordinary efforts to find and encourage him. For all that Paul did, it was never on his own. In most letters, Paul listed the names of brethren who came to him and served alongside him. Their names are not for their glory but emphasize the power of faithfulness to the glory of God.

Seeking the good of others is a baseline of the gospel and the backbone of our fellowship. After all, God was not content to simply see us in our sad condition, but came to us, seeking and saving those who are lost (John 1.14; Luke 19.10). In turn, we must not be content to know that others have difficult situations; we must learn to seek the good of others as part of our work of faith.

The easiest way to participate in this is to order your life to be with others. The early church was always together, allowing for needs to be observed and met (see Acts 2.42-47; 4.32-35). It promoted transparency and awareness of personal circumstances. It allowed for service to be observed and modeled in tangible ways in the body. In our individualistic culture, the old adage “out of sight, out of mind” easily proves true. When we’re not involved and present in each other’s lives, love grows cold. People fall through the cracks. Wounds silently fester in hearts. Faith becomes weak and fragile. This is not just true for the outliers. This happens to those who are active teaching classes, organizing events, and leading in public ways. This happens even to those who seem to be pillars of faith because we live in difficult days (2 Timothy 3.1-ff). The work of encouragement is always needs and is work we all can do, but it must be intentional.

Let us learn to be like Onesiphorus and seek the good of others. Who knows who you might refresh simply by making the effort to be there for someone else.

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