The men taking the lead in the congregations noticed Timothy’s progress. No doubt they were touched to see how the youth built up and encouraged everyone around him. More important, though, is that Jehovah noticed Timothy. God inspired some prophecies to be made about him​—perhaps relating to the kind of service he would one day render to many congregations. When Paul visited, he saw that Timothy could be a helpful traveling companion on missionary journeys. The brothers in Lystra agreed. They laid their hands on the young man, a gesture that signified that he was appointed to a special post of service to Jehovah God.​—1 Timothy 1:18; 4:14.

Timothy, we may well imagine, was awed and humbled by this great trust and responsibility. He was prepared to go.b How, though, did Timothy’s unbelieving father react to his son’s new calling to be a traveling Christian minister? He probably had very different things in mind for his son’s future. What about Timothy’s mother and grandmother? Did they glow with pride while trying to hide their concerns for the young man’s safety? That would only be natural.

What is certain is that Timothy went. On the morning described at the outset of this article, he took up a life of traveling with the apostle Paul. As he left Lystra behind, every crunch of the pebbles under his sandals, every rustle of the grass he trampled, meant another step toward the unknown and away from his home. After a long day of walking, the three men reached Iconium. Timothy then began to observe how Paul and Silas passed on the latest directions from the governing body in Jerusalem and worked to build up the faith of the believers in Iconium. (Acts 16:4, 5) But that was only the beginning.

After visiting the congregations in Galatia, the missionaries left the broad, paved Roman roads and walked hundreds of miles across the vast tablelands of Phrygia, heading north and then west. Ever following the direction of God’s holy spirit, they made their way to Troas, boarded a ship, and sailed to Macedonia. (Acts 16:6-12) By then, Paul saw just how useful Timothy was. Paul was able to leave Timothy in Beroea with Silas. (Acts 17:14) He even sent the young man alone to Thessalonica. There Timothy imitated the examples he had observed so keenly, and he built up the faithful Christians there.​—1 Thessalonians 3:1-3.

Over a period of about 14 years, Timothy spent a great deal of time working with the apostle Paul, his friend. He shared many of the dangers of Paul’s work and many of the joys as well. (2 Corinthians 11:24-27) At some point, Timothy was even imprisoned for his faith. (Hebrews 13:23) He also shared Paul’s deep and heartfelt love and concern for his Christian brothers and sisters. Paul thus wrote to him: “I remember your tears.” (2 Timothy 1:4) Like Paul, it seems that Timothy learned to “weep with those who weep,” empathizing with them so that he could better encourage and comfort them. (Romans 12:15) May each of us learn to do the same!