A BREATH OF FRESH AIR

Devotion 6

“May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me.” 2 Timothy 1:16-17

Onesiphorus. Crazy name. Neat guy. Here’s what we know about him. He had helped Paul in many ways in the Turkish city of Ephesus several years before. Their friendship didn’t end when Paul moved out of town. It didn’t end when Paul moved into prison in a completely different country! For some reason Onesiphorus ended up in Rome, where Paul was incarcerated, and he went to see him.

Let’s be honest. It’s one thing to go to a prison with a ministry group, (that’s absolutely terrific to do and I’m not lessening the importance or difficulty of such service) but it really is another thing to go on a personal visit – to see a brother, a son, a daughter, or a close friend. There is something very humbling about identifying yourself with an inmate and something very heartbreaking about realizing the true situation. (And our prisons today are luxurious and kind compared to Paul’s Roman jail.) Paul was a prisoner because he was considered a convict, a law-breaker, a menace to society. Onesiphorus knew his association with Paul would make him look bad, but he loved Paul more than he cared about his own reputation. He was not “ashamed of Paul’s chains.” He searched diligently until he found him. Onesiphorus went out of his way on his way. Why? Because he knew Paul needed refreshing!
“Refresh” is one of my (many) favorite words. “Because he often refreshed me…” It literally means “to recover from the effects of heat, to take air, to cool off.” To put it in our language today, Paul says his relationship with Onesiphorus was like a breath of fresh air. His actions, words, and attitude helped Paul recover from the effects of the heat (pressure) he felt as he awaited his second and final trial before Caesar.

Onesiphorus was simply living up to his name. Onesiphorus means “bringing profit or advantage.” How very appropriate! He brought encouragement to Paul at his lowest and companionship in his loneliest. He didn’t just refresh Paul once. He did it repeatedly. He didn’t just do it when it was convenient. He pounded the pavement (ok, the stones) in Rome until he found him. He didn’t just help when it made him look good. He helped when it made him look bad. He really was a breath of fresh air.
Why should we be anything different?

Time For A Little R&R

RECOGNIZE
Who is someone you know who could use “a breath of fresh air” today?

RESPOND
How will you go out of your way on your way to refresh that person?