Meshugge for my Mashiach

Hello fellow mumsers...

As I was writing my byline earlier I smiled to myself. Have you ever known what it feels like to be nothing? I think this story is in order to set the stage and give you an idea of where I'd like to come from, of the perspective I'd like to have.

I smiled to myself writing that description because it reminded me of a story I heard recently about Timothy. Some of you have heard this story, so bear with me. Ray Vander Laan told this when he came to West Point.

On his first missionary journey, Paul heads to the town of Lystra, a small town literally "in the sticks." There is nothing there. He goes there, and heals the sick. The people think he is a god and bow to him. He stops them and explains about Messiah. Then some Jews from Antioch come and stone him outside the city. After he is stoned, he goes back into the city, then leaves for Derbe.

A while later he returns to Lystra, then leaves. He returns again on his next missionary journey.

In the meantime, there is a family in Lystra, a grandmother, mother, and son. The grandmother is Lois. The mother is Eunice. They are Jewish. The story goes that somehow or the other, Eunice gets pregnant by a Greek man. She has a son, and names him Timothy.

Timothy is half-Jew, half-Greek. As a result,, no rabbi will circumcise him. He cannot play with the other Jewish kids. He cannot go to Torah school. He cannot become a talmud, or disciple, of any rabbi because he is a "mumser". He cannot even enter the temple to worship. And so he grows up with this label. The kids make fun of him. "My mom said your mom did something bad. That's why you can't come to Torah school with us. You're a mumser."

Have you ever known what it feels like to be nothing?

But somehow, Eunice teaches Timothy Torah. Somehow he learns and memorizes the Law. Maybe he sat far away and listened to the rabbis when they read Torah out loud. I don't know. But he learned.

So Paul comes to Lystra. On his first two missionary journeys he does not make a single disciple. He may have been wondering why he keeps being sent back to this nothingsville place. I don't know.

The story continues that Timothy must have seen Paul come and go. He may have seen Paul's determination when he returns to the city right after he has been stoned. What did he think? Did he think, "I like this man. He does not give up."

He may or may not have heard Pauls intense sermon when he said that in Christ, there is no Jew or Gentile, no man or woman, no Syrian or Greek. Did Timothy ask himself, "Is there a mumser?"

And so one day, as the story goes, Paul is looking for a disciple in Lystra. He may have asked the rabbi for some students to recommend. Somehow he notices Timothy. "What about him?" he asks. The rabbi shakes his head.. "That's a sad story.. You see, he's a mumser."
In an incredulous voice the rabbi continues, "But he knows Torah." Paul replies, "A mumser who knows Torah? Oy vey!"
He walks over.
"Are you Timothy?"
"Yeah."
"I'm Paul"
"I know"
And then Paul says, "Follow me. Be my talmud."
What would you give to have been a fly on the wall at that moment? I can imagine Timothy, his eyes growing wide with tears, his mouth hanging open.

For, you see, here was a boy who knew what it felt like to be nothing.
He breaks world records to get home. "Ima! Rabbi Paul thinks I can be like him! He wants me! Ima, he wants ME..."

From his letters, we see that Paul calls Timothy, "My true son." He encourages him, "Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of scripture, to preaching and to teaching."

What can Abba do with a man, with a woman, who knows what it feels like to be nothing?

Fellow mumsers, I submit to you, do not neglect your gift. Do not forget that Rabbi Yeshua Messiah has come and said to you, "Follow me. Be my talmud."

For Abba's favor is more precious than life.

posted by Handmaiden @ 12:12 pm