When I was a manager at a local fast food chain and we were looking to hire someone, one of our main concerns was what the person’s availability was. Finding someone who was willing to work any day at any time was like finding gold.
Reading Colossians 4 I came across the name of a guy that shows up 4 other times in the New Testament, Tychicus. When Paul found him, he found gold.
“As to all my affairs, Tychicus, our beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow bond-servant in the Lord, will bring you information. For I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts; and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of your number. They will inform you about the whole situation here.”
Colossians 4:7-9 – NASB
Paul was sending Tychicus to the Christians in Colossi as a messenger-and servant. This guy was committed to Paul and to the Gospel. He had that golden quality- open availability. He would go wherever Paul sent him, faithfully serve and then return to support Paul whenever needed. We don’t get many details about his life. How was he able to be so available? Was he young and single? Was he old and single? Was he married with a patient wife? Or an adventurous wife? Was he independently wealthy so travel and work were not an issue? Or was he like Paul and able to be content with whatever he had at the time? It didn’t seem to matter who he was sent to help or how much help was needed, he would just go.
I have a lot of stuff. My stuff needs to stay warm and dry. I need to stay warm and dry, (Need or want?) I work to pay for a place to keep myself and my stuff warm and dry. I have a wife who likes to stay warm and dry and safe. We both like to have food and clothing. This means more space, more stuff. My wife is very good at making our simple things look nice and be warm and welcoming. But because of our stuff, we are home bound.
I am not free to go like Tychicus. I still want to serve Jesus and be actively involved in expanding God’s kingdom. Since I cannot go there must be other ways for me to serve while I stay and work so I can keep me, my wife and our stuff warm and dry. We look for ways to help and serve.
I had a dream last night that a homeless man that in my dream, we had befriended, was pacing outside our house while being covered in snow, he was waiting to be invited in. He wasn’t bold enough to ask. This dream could mean that our warm and dry house may have a larger purpose in God’s kingdom. I don’t know. I do know that Tychicus is a hero of mine and I want to be more like him because he was a lot like Jesus. And he was available.
If we can’t be like Tychicus with his unlimited availability, if we can’t just get up and go, then what can we do to serve God’s kingdom while we stay?
Use me God, use us.
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