2 Timothy 1:15-16 (ESV)
You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom
are Phygelus and Hermogenes. May the Lord grant mercy to the household of
Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains,
Betrayal comes in many forms. Paul mentions two individuals
in particular, of “all in Asia,” who had turned away from him. Notice that it
does not say that they turned away from the Faith, or from the Lord, but from
Paul. Apparently when Paul was imprisoned for his faith many of his friends
began to disassociate with him, possibly out of fear that they too might be
arrested. In his time of isolation and imprisonment he found no one to support
or encourage him except Onesiphorus. There are at least two applications from
this passage. One is connected to “all in Asia.” They abandoned Paul out of
fear, but that abandonment felt like betrayal. Betrayal does not necessarily need
to be active. It can be passive. Failing to reach out to someone in need can
feel as much like betrayal as falsely accusing them. Let us not abandon others
because it is too hard for us. Second, a little encouragement goes a long way. We
don’t necessarily need to have answers or solutions to people’s pain. We just
need to stand by them. Knowing that we care goes a long way. May our lives
reflect Onesiphorus rather than Phygelus and Hermogenes. May we refresh those who
are hurting rather than turn away from them.
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