Days of Refreshing #26

We noted the other day that Paul often named names in the closing of his letters to the churches. In II Timothy 1, which many consider to be Paul's last letter written, He concludes the opening chapter this way:  

15 You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16 May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains, 17 but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me earnestly and found me— 18 may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day!—and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus.

In this letter, Paul is calling Timothy to be faithful - faithful to Christ, faithful to his calling, faithful to the people God had given him to serve.  Here he contrasts this with this who have been unfaithful, turned away, and abandoned Paul and the faith.  But he also finds a positive example, someone who had not abandoned him, someone who refreshed Paul while he was stuck in jail: Onesiphorus. He was a fellow believer who came to Rome while Paul was in prison, and sought him out. He was not afraid or ashamed to claim Paul as a friend and fellow believer. He was consistent; he was the same in Rome as he was at home. It's refreshing to find people like that in a world full of the other. Cherish them. Pray for them. Do all that you can to refresh them in return, and be like them in how you treat others. .