Paul always wished “grace and peace” to the people receiving his letters. In his letters to Timothy, he added “mercy”.

And no wonder, because whether people look down on you in the Twenty-First Century or people look down on you in the First Century, you’ll need mercy as well as grace and peace.

For example, when Paul wrote “[t]o Timothy my true son in the faith”, Paul said, “Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.” (1 Timothy 1:2).

Why did Timothy need mercy as well as grace and peace? People looking down on him.   

When Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, he felt it necessary to tell them not to look down on Timothy.

He told them:

“When Timothy comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am. No one, then, should treat him with contempt.” (1 Corinthians 16:10-11).

Paul was familiar with this problem. As hard as it is for us to imagine today—when Paul is so famous—people looked down on him!

In the eyes of some people, Paul was badly out-classed by self-styled “super-apostles” who boasted how much better they were than Paul. (2 Corinthians 11:5; 10:12-18).

In contrast, Paul was sickly. (Galatians 4:13-15; 2 Corinthians 12:7-9). Paul was “untrained as a speaker” (2 Corinthians 11:6).  Paul was not eloquent. (1 Corinthians 2:1).

Indeed, one time, someone listening to Paul fell asleep and fell out the window! (Acts 20:7-9).

No wonder some people said, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing.” (2 Corinthians 10:10).

To encourage Timothy, Paul wrote him: “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young.” (1 Timothy 4:11).

What did mercy have to do with encouraging Timothy? He needed to have mercy on himself—even when he was inexperienced, even when he was treated with contempt, and even when he was sickly and needed to “use a little wine for his stomach and his frequent illnesses”. (1 Timothy 5:23).

To encourage Timothy, Paul reminded him about all the times Paul needed mercy in his own life.

Paul wrote: “Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy . . .” (1 Timothy 1:13).

To encourage Timothy, Paul reminded him about all the times Paul needed grace in his own life.

Paul wrote: “The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 1:14).

To encourage Timothy, Paul reminded him about all the times Paul needed God’s immense patience in his own life.

Paul wrote: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.” (1 Timothy 1:15-16).

And so, when people look down on you, take heart!

Take heart—even if you’re inexperienced, even if you’re sickly, even if you’ve been wrong, even if people treat you with contempt, and even if you feel you don’t measure up to boastful people who style themselves as “super-apostles”.

People looked down on Paul and Timothy, too.

At times like that, God gives us grace, mercy and peace.

Indeed, the more that people look down on us, the more we need to look up to the LORD.

Why?

The LORD will bless us and keep us;

The LORD will make his face shine on us

   and be gracious to us;

The LORD will turn his face toward us

   and give us peace.

                                Numbers 6:24-26

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To learn more about grace and peace, please read my blogs “Grace and Peace—Galatians”, “Grace and Peace—Thessalonians”, “Grace and Peace—Romans”, “Grace and Peace—Ephesians”, “Grace and Peace—Philippians”, “Grace and Peace—Colossians”, “Grace and Peace—Philemon”, and “Grace and Peace: Titus”.

To learn more about Timothy, please read my blogs “Timothy: A Good Teacher”, “Timothy: A Good Shepherd”, and “Timothy: A Good Team Player”.