by Elaine Krause

Created on: February 25, 2007   Last Updated: January 08, 2008

There is a movie called, "Anne of Green Gables." The main character is a small girl who, through tragic circumstances, finds herself living in a foster home. The foster parents turn out to be a huge blessing to Anne, (that's "Anne with an 'e'," if you please), but she still faced difficulties as she grew up.
She made a statement once about the need to have a like-minded companion; it is a statement that caught my attention. It was something like this:

"What I need is a really good friend-a bosom buddy. You know...a KINDRED SPIRIT with whom I can share my inmost soul."
We all need such a friend, don't you think? In today's message we find that Paul regarded at least two men in precisely the way the Anne longed for.

As a high school teacher for over 25 years, I have seen and heard about friendships and KINDRED SPIRITS! As young people, they depend on their peers more than anyone else in their life! Acceptance by peers is one of the ways most young people get through their days as young people.
Scripture
the Bible passage is Philippians 2:19-30.

TIMOTHY-A KINDRED SPIRIT

I Trust Him
Timothy was Paul's spiritual son, having led him to the Lord. Timothy was a young man that was a third generation Christian. Both his mother and grandmother were Christians, so fast this gospel had spread!
And, although younger than Paul, there seemed to be no generation gap between the two men. The elder, a statesman and soldier for Christ; the younger, a willing apprentice, thoroughly dedicated.
And Paul trusted him. He knew that Timothy was a genuine spiritual leader because his interests were those of Christ Jesus.

A Kindred Spirit
I love that phrase that Paul speaks about Timothy, "I have no [other] man like-minded, who will naturally care for [you]," (2:20). What high praise from the Apostle! Timothy was a Christian friend with a "kindred spirit."
I looked up the word "kindred" in the dictionary to see its full meaning. It said: "Having a similar or related origin, nature, character, or the like."
Timothy was, therefore, a man who was like Paul in nature and character. Knowing that Timothy would minister to the Philippians, Paul says, "I will soon send Timothy. He will care for you."

Many of you remember the moving final scene of the Steven Spielberg's movie Schindler's List where Oscar Schindler, the Polish businessman, used a portion of his fortune to put the names of Jews on a work list that would keep them from going to concentration camps. Faces, - those who escaped certain death because

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