February 3, 2011 Forward Motion Faith

What if it was you?

There is a passage of scripture in 2 Timothy 1.16-17 that never ceases to amaze me.  It was written by Paul the Apostle to a young pastor named Timothy.  Paul writes from prison and is extremely thankful for a man named Onesiphorus.  Onesiphorus was the kind of friend that you can only hope to find in life – especially when you find yourself in prison for being a follower of Christ.

Something that bugs me anymore is how easy we speak about one another in the body of Christ.  We have such sharp words of criticism sometimes.  We are quick to speak, criticize and judge others who’s only guilt is that they may disagree with us or they have an opinion that differs from ours on subject matter that really doesn’t amount to a hill of beans.   I have seen this spirit grow and increase tremendously in the kingdom over the last several years.  It seems to me that instead of getting better at keeping our tongue we are getting worse.

I have no provocation for this blog tonight except that I read this passage tonight after I got home from church.   It just resonated with the kind of kindness and friendship we should have for one another instead of being so quick to pass judgment.  There is a difference in recognizing someone disagree’s with you but when you go from critical of someone to judging them we have crossed a dangerous line.

Onesiphorus was willing to forsake his own interest, his own reputation and work at forging a relationship that would last through even the toughest of times.  Onesiphorus “sought out” Paul.  He was one of about thirty people Paul names in his writings as having a special relationship with him.  Friends.  I wonder how many times some of these thirty people disagreed with Paul?  I wonder how many of them criticized him behind his back?  i wonder how many abandoned him when things got tough?  Paul the apostle?  Someone turn their back on him?  Yes!  In the passage mentioned above there are two people who abandon Paul. Phygelus and Hermogene’s turned against him in Asia.  I am confident Paul was still hurting from the sting of this rejection.  It hurt.  It was emotionally painful. When you are down, in prison and in need of friends the last thing you want is abandonment.  No wonder Paul prayed that the house of Onesiphorus be blessed with mercy.  I guess tonight for some reason God wants someone to know a couple of things.

First, we are living in what I am going to call the worst generation for criticism.  Paul knew what it was.  Criticism is the seed to judgmentalism.  We normally cannot stop at just offering constructive criticism.  It leads to our judging another person.  I am confident that Paul had been on the inside of this boxing arena.  I guess the question to ask is are you an “Onesiphorus” to others or are you a “Phygelus or Hermogene’s?”

Second, real friends go out of their way to care one for another.  I want to ask you how often you think the body of Christ considers others better than themselves.  When we don’t we welcome a passive sense of pride about ourselves and wonder why others act, think and speak differently then we do.  Onesiphorus was committed to going the distance.  I have discovered in years of pastoring that we tend to “hang” out with those that we seem to get along with.  We don’t normally push ourselves beyond our “liking” point with others.  Problem with this is that we ignore the needs, desires, shortcomings, weaknesses and oddities of others who don’t fit our pattern of “friendship.”  We have a responsibility to not judge one another.  Be careful how you speak about another.  I always want to ask what if that person who is different were your son or daughter?  How would you like one of your family members treated the way you treat those who don’t fit your mold?  It can and probably will happen.  The way you treat others will come home to roost.  You will reap what you sow so be careful how you speak about others.  Even when Paul was abandoned and treated wrong (Alexander the Coppersmith) he kept his tongue from judging them.

Third, Onesiphorus didn’t hesitate going out of his way to prove his love for his friend.  Paul said that Onesiphorus refreshed him “often”.  This was a norm for Onesiphorus.  He sought out ways he could minister and refresh Paul.  He sought out ways. Let me repeat that one more time…”he sought out ways to refresh Paul.”  How many times have you made an effort, put forth energy, exerted tiring effort to minister to someone?  When was the last time you went out of your way to minister to someone who didn’t necessarily fit your pattern of “like”?

I am refreshed when I meet with those who prove a genuine love for my well being.  I am refreshed when I sit with a group of pastors who allow me to be myself.  I am refreshed when iron sharpens iron.  I am refreshed when I get an email that encourages me.  I am refreshed when an “Onesiphorus” steps up to the plate and really affirms me.  All of us need those folks like Onesiphorus in our life.

I want to ask you a question.  Have you been an Phygelus or Hermogenes lately?  Have you “abandoned” someone because they were a little different then you?  Didn’t agree with you?  Didn’t understand you or better yet you didn’t understand them?  You see in over thirty years of ministry I know Phygelus and Hermogenes by just sensing them around me.  You know what I’m talking about.  You have been there.  So have I.  I hope not to be there again but I know I probably will.  Somewhere in this faith journey of mine I will discover another Phygelus and Hermogenes.  I’m not looking forward to it but I’m a realist.  What I really look forward to discovering is a “Onesiphorus”.   They are absolutely awesome to have around.  Paul had thirty such people he named in his writings.  I pray that I can be just one “Onesiphorus” in your life or the life of another.  I want to refresh those people God has placed in my life.  I pray I can.  I really do.  There are enough character assassins out there as it is and the last place we need them is inside the kingdom.  What about you?  I challenge you to watch what you say, how you act and how you manifest your attitude toward others.  Be a true Onesiphorus.  Let’s work on it.