Dear Disciple,

I AM deeply moved when people show their undivided loyalty to Me and are willing to invest everything they have in My cause. Remember what I told My disciples when I was with them on earth:

"If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it."
(Mark 8:34-35 NLT)

Lois, Eunice, and Timothy showed this loyalty when Paul asked Timothy to come join him and Silas on the second missionary journey. On Paul's first visit to their hometown of Lystra, Paul was rejected and stoned by an angry crowd. When everyone left because they thought Paul was dead, he got up and went back to town with other believers from Lystra. He then left town continuing on his first missionary journey (Acts 14:19-20). So when Paul asked Timothy to join him on the second journey, Timothy's family knew the very real dangers he would face. Regardless, they let him go with Paul anyway. I admire the courage and faithfulness of Timothy's family and Timothy!

Paul had learned from Barnabas and from his training as a rabbi the importance of mentoring younger disciples who would ultimately step into the role of disciple-makers themselves. Silas would be in this role of being mentored by Paul on the second missionary journey. But no one demonstrated the importance of making disciples for future generations quite like Paul did with Timothy (2 Timothy 2:1-2).

You will notice in the four sets of verses in your readings today that the second, third, and fourth readings emphasize how Timothy was being mentored by Paul. Timothy became the living witness of Paul's teaching and life, and in turn, of My teaching and life! If you wanted to imitate Paul's life and faith, all you had to do was look at Timothy, who lived it. Timothy was not only a trustworthy example of Paul but also of Me. As Paul says with admiration:

You know Timothy is genuine in the Lord's ways. He has been a faithful partner to me as we express the good news, as much as my own flesh and blood would have been.

Paul would spend a significant part of his life training Timothy to take over his role as a disciple-maker and teacher for future generations.

Paul invested in younger disciples like Timothy, Silas, and Titus. Until Paul's dying breath, he was pouring himself into Timothy and others like him. He was determined not only to leave a legacy of faith but also to leave a set of living and breathing witnesses and disciple-makers to provide a future for My church.

You have people whom you influence. They may be children, family members, friends, people at work, folks you meet at kids' sporting events or extra-curricular activities, children or youth at church, and believers in many places. I ask you to take seriously the example of Paul, who poured himself into future generations of leaders. My Great Commission is built upon this principle — a principle that I demonstrated with My own disciples.

Your bodies are mortal. Your years on earth are limited. As important as you may be to others now, you and your influence will be gone in future years if you do not intentionally invest yourself in future generations. When you live this principle of disciple-making, you change the course of the future by investing in others. They, in turn, will invest in others and train them to share My message and to live for Me and redeem others with My grace (2 Timothy 2:1-2).

I AM thankful for Paul for his investment in others. I am thankful for Timothy's family for their courage. I AM thankful for Timothy for accepting the challenge and following Me by joining Paul in his work! I AM thankful for everyone like these early disciples in whatever era they live. Make My joy complete by joining this group of disciple-makers: intentionally invest in others today — and continue to do so throughout your remaining time on earth.