In her book Lincoln’s Daughters of Mercy, Marjorie Greenbie tells about Mother Bickerdyke, who worked with General Sherman during the Civil War. She brought relief to thousands of wounded and dying Union soldiers.

Once, when Mother Bickerdyke was giving special attention to a man considered worthless by his comrades, she was asked, “Why do you waste your time on trash like that?” “Because,” she replied, “when there’s any creature around here so miserable that there’s nobody to care for him, he still has two friends in this army. One is God, and the other is me.”

Paul certainly wasn’t considered worthless by his co-workers, but there were times when he felt alone. Demas had forsaken him; Crescens, Titus, and Tychicus were all away traveling (2 Tim. 4:10,12). Yet God and one person, Luke, sustained Paul when he stood at his final defense in Rome. As the trial that would lead to his execution got underway, only Luke was with Paul (v.11). He and the Lord gave Paul the support he needed to maintain a clear witness.

The Lord works through people. With Paul, He used Luke. Some struggling person in your life today may need the Lord—and you!

  — Dennis J. De Haan