A Faithful Friend

Scripture Reading: 2 Timothy 4:11

Luke alone is with me…

In Paul’s recitation of various people and where they were and what they were doing, he somewhat sadly states that “Luke alone is with me.” This was sad because one would think others would have come to stand with Paul in his hour of need. It is also encouraging to see that there was someone like Luke who stayed with Paul, ministered to him, and didn’t run away when that would have been an easy path to take.

We primarily know Luke for writing the Gospel According to Luke and the Book of Acts. He became a ministry companion with Paul during one of his missionary journeys. You see this in the book of Acts when he changes from writing about what “they” were doing to writing about what “we” did. He doesn’t make a big deal out of his joining the ministry team of Paul, it is casually inserted. He was humble.

As we see in 2 Timothy, he was also faithful and loyal. This was a risky business he was engaged in. He was associating with someone who was on death row. He was putting himself in harm's way with Paul. It was also not financially rewarding. That is why Demas bailed out. He wasn’t going to get any worldly recognition for this. He wasn’t going to be seen as a rising young leader of the Roman world.

Yet, he stayed with Paul.

Thank God for every Luke God puts in your life. They are the people who stand by you when everyone else walks out. They prove themselves to be friends by being your friend when no one else is.