There is a rich man in a village owning several acres of land. He had a personal assistant who helped him to administer the estate and manage workers and other odd jobs. After the rich man died, his son came to that position and recruited the son of his father’s assistant as his assistant. It happened for several generations. One family will always rule and another family will always be servants. That is how feudal cultures operate. However, Kingdom values derived from the truth of the Scripture are different. Paul introduces Timothy as one who serves the gospel. Timothy is not serving Paul, but the gospel. Not as a subordinate, but as an equally valued colleague. (Philippians 2:22)
The paradigm of Paul: Paul’s paradigm and mindset were not conditioned by culture but shaped by Biblical values. Like his Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, he understood that he had been called to serve and not to be served (Matthew 20:28). In most cultures, the powerless are expected to serve the powerful people loyally. Nevertheless, Paul did not use power to extract service but to empower others.
Priority of Paul: Paul’s priority was the Kingdom of God, not his comforts. A youngster’s service was a welcome gift, but Paul refused to be egoistic or selfish but was Kingdom-centered. Hence, he discerned God’s call in the life of Timothy and mentored him to become a useful vessel in the Kingdom of God.
Spiritual son: Paul considered Timothy as his spiritual son. Like a father, who desires the best for their children and excels in all aspects of life, Paul desired for his prodigy Timothy.
Exploit or empower? For Paul, Timothy was not a junior person to be exploited but a servant called by God, who should be mentored, trained, and empowered. Timothy was not called to serve Paul or be a personal assistant to run errands. Sadly, many Christian leaders exploit the energy, knowledge, and skills of youngsters for their benefit and not to fulfill their call for the Kingdom.
Am I a self-seeker or a Kingdom seeker?