Do you have an Onesiphorus? Could you be one?

Having written about his deserting friends, Phygelus and Hermogenes, Paul now writes of his true friend. We all need to be a friend like this one and if we have one, then we are truly blessed.

“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. May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus.” 2 Timothy‬ ‭1‬:‭16‬-‭18‬ ‭

Do you have an Onesiphorus? Could you be one?

1. They are prepared to pay the cost of friendship. He “was not ashamed of my chains,” shows that there was a price to pay for being a friend of Paul. Onesiphorus people stand by people when it’s difficult, unpopular and inconvenient.
2. They refuse to abandon a friend regardless of the obstacles. Onesiphorus “searched hard for me until he found me,” shows diligence and with effort. Onesiphorus people don’t just show up when it’s convenient; they show up when it matters most. Real friends search for you when you’re lost, stand by you when you’re down, and make the effort when others have given up.
3. They do you good. Onesiphorus “often refreshed me.” He was a source of encouragement to Paul. Was he known for his preaching? Was there a miracle attached to his ministry? Was he an apostle or a prophet? No. Yet Paul told Timothy to look at “how many ways he helped me in Ephesus”. Onesiphorus people help. Sometimes showing up to help is more important than any other ministry.

Finally, Paul prays twice for his friend, “May the Lord …” Let’s do just that.

Who are the people in our lives who need us to be an Onesiphorus to them? Who is searching for encouragement, standing in chains of discouragement or difficulty, needing someone who won’t be ashamed to be associated with them?

And perhaps equally important: Who has been an Onesiphorus to us? Who deserves our gratitude for their faithfulness, their persistence, their refreshing presence in our lives? Who can we pray for today?