Prayer

Amazing God, lead us by your Spirit to the wisdom of Lois and Eunice. Teach us through our own challenges to practice the faithfulness of these women of God, whose leadership impacted the early church in important ways. In your faithful, loving, and righteous name, amen. 

Key Scriptures 

2 Timothy 1:5; Acts 16:1-4

“I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.” (2 Timothy 1:5, NIV)

Main Point

Lois and Eunice were devout Jewish believers, known to the apostle Paul. Their courageous faith and faithful discipleship planted a seed of faith in the heart of Timothy, Eunice’s son and Lois’s grandson. They also watered his faith to fruitfulness as he partnered with Paul and contributed to the growth of the gospel throughout the early church. 

Introduction to Lois and Eunice

This verse reminds me of my grandmother and mother as I grew up and observed their prayer life in the midst of great turbulence, as they raised me in a neighborhood filled with violence, drugs, and gang wars. I was taught how the power of prayerfulness and faithfulness can transform turbulence into opportunities for faith to grow throughout the storms of life. Like Lois and Eunice, my grandmother and mother demonstrated their faith and taught it at home.

In the opening of this Scripture, the apostle Paul tells Timothy that Timothy’s “sincere faith” is reminiscent of the faith of two important women, his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice. In the Greek, the word for “sincere” means “un-disguised.” This is faith that isn’t hidden; it is faith that does not conceal itself. In this moment, the apostle Paul reminds Timothy that the roots of Timothy’s faith come from two important women who faced their own challenges and scars, as we all do. 

From the book of Acts, we learn that Eunice came from a Jewish household, but was married to a Greek man. While we do not have any stories in Scripture to give us insight into the relationship of Timothy’s parents, we can imagine they navigated challenges as they sought to raise Timothy well, given their different cultural and religious commitments. In spite of this, Eunice remained faithful to her roots, and this faithfulness is now seen in Timothy. 

As the apostle Paul wrote these words to Timothy, he reminded Timothy of the struggles of the important women in his life before him. He reminded Timothy that Lois and Eunice had wanted to show their children and grandchildren the power of a living God. It is not a stretch to say that, because of their faithfulness, Timothy found himself in a position of leadership in the early Christian church. 

Digging Deeper

Although they appear in only a couple of verses in the New Testament, it is clear that Lois and Eunice took seriously their responsibility to teach Timothy about God and raise him in the ways of Jesus. Their actions were not just “show and tell;” they were not simply following protocol. Their lives were centered on teaching Timothy about the loving and compassionate ways of God in a messy and unkind world. They wanted Timothy to know that in an environment of hopelessness, there is a God of hope. They wanted Timothy to see their scars as they prayed to and praised God, to teach him that the world does not get to define our struggles. Rather, there is a God who will bring anyone broken by the world back to wholeness through the healing power of love. Importantly, this passage demonstrates the power of parenting, the kingdom impact of a mother assisting her daughter in nurturing her child into a life of faithful service.

In my later life, I appreciated my grandmother and mother who made me attend Sunday school and church services on Sundays and also during the week. Despite their poverty, their uncertainty about how they would provide for their families, and the challenges inherent to raising a child in Harlem, New York, their faith was authentic, not seeking perfection through their church involvement, but simply willing to trust in God for all things.

Today, I am also thankful for adopted moms and grandmothers in the church who share their faithful testimonies and encourage their families and congregations to trust in the Lamb of God and to develop a faith devoted to serving God. A faith dedicated to building the kingdom of God. A faith determined to walk through valleys of disappointment and bitterness. When I see the sincerity of their faith, I, like Paul, remember the faith of my mother and grandmother, which compelled them to serve as an evangelist and an usher and to contribute to the stewardship of the church. And when I think of them, I give thanks.

Paul tells Timothy that the faith Paul sees in him is the same faith that “first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice.” The Greek word for “lived” can also be translated as “dwelt.” These women were enthusiastic about the passion of God. Not only did the faith dwell in their hearts, but the faithful were invited into their homes. They made certain all meals were cooked in the grace of God, they prayed over the physical needs present, and they ensured all were uplifted with a spiritual meal in the reading of the Word of God. Similarly, both my grandmother’s and mother’s homes were my family’s dwelling places for transformation and forgiveness as I learned the Word of God, especially at the table. 

#SheIsCalled and We Are Called

The stories of faithful women are scattered all over the pages of Scripture, but we tend to hear them sporadically, in isolation from each other. Perhaps during Mother’s Day or Women’s Day Services at church, we might hear stories of women in the Bible. We have likely heard the stories of Ruth, Rahab, the judge Deborah, or perhaps sung or read the Magnificat,  in which Mary proclaimed, “I am the Lord’s servant” as she rejoiced in the presence of the Lord. We read and hear these stories on occasion, but these stories are part of the roots of our faith. We must remember them.

It is also important to remember the impact of Lois’s and Eunice’s sincere faith, and the legacy of their discipling Timothy to be rooted in Jesus’s teaching and encouraging him to model that to others. The significance of Paul acknowledging the hospitality of these two women of grace and love as he celebrates their faithfulness in ministry and mission in the early church is great. Lois’s and Eunice’s faithfulness is a prophetic call to the women—and men!—of God’s church to continue to praise God and shoulder the care of the family. In this brief commendation, both of these women are called to demonstrate God’s truth, justice, and equity, and when they do so, they encourage and inspire teaching opportunities for Christian living.

How might we each be called to teach and nurture children, particularly in our own families and in our church family, by fruitful guidance in the attributes of the Lord? Might we be urged onward in cultivating the fruit of the Spirit by teaching and equipping one another with Christian hospitality as God’s educational curriculum through the wonders of God’s Word?

Conclusion

Lois and Eunice exemplified Christian discipleship as they demonstrated faithfulness in building the kingdom of God in the early church. The apostle Paul commended these women for their faithfulness and celebrated their fervent hearts being drawn to God even in the midst of their struggles. This story reminds us that faith can move mountains in our Christian journey and offer hope, despite our scars, as children of God. How do we encourage others to remain faithful during turbulent times in our prayers and praise?