Her name is only mentioned once in the Bible, but Eunice’s legacy has lived on for over two thousand years. Even though we don’t know a lot about her, I have always found her story to be inspiring.
She’s the kind of mother I would like to be.
The books of 1 and 2 Timothy are two of my favorites in the Bible. They’re packed with so many nuggets of wisdom and encouragement.
In fact, 2 Timothy 1:7 ranks high on my list of favorite Bible verses:
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (KJV)
And it’s because of Eunice’s direct influence over her son that I have this beautiful promise to fall back on when I’m struggling with fear and anxiety.
Let’s dig a little deeper to see exactly what we can learn from Eunice in the Bible.
Characteristics of Eunice
Faith
The very first thing we read about Eunice was that she had an “unfeigned faith.” In other words, it was real. She wasn’t one person at church, and another when she got home.
She passed this incredible faith on to her son. We know from reading the Bible that Timothy was a young man when he became the first pastor of the church at Ephesus.
Being a pastor and leading a congregation is not a job for the faint of heart. But Timothy had learned what it meant to have faith in God, and he continued even when times were hard.
Trust
Have you ever made a choice to do something in your life–and had zero support from family or friends? It seems that Eunice made the choice to raise her son for God even when her husband didn’t support her.
The world during the time of Christ and in the years following was a wicked place, especially in areas that were influenced by the Romans.
Idol worship was rampant, and often included sexual sins performed in temples. Followers of Christ were hated and often persecuted for their faith.
Eunice knew that raising a son in such times would be difficult. But she made the conscious choice to trust God to help her raise a son that would honor Him.
Wisdom
If you’ve been a mom for very long, you know just how difficult it is to raise godly kids in a world that hates Christians! But Eunice was a wise woman who managed to raise a wise son in wicked era.
2 Timothy 3:14-15 says, “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” (KJV)
Paul was instructing Timothy to continue in the things his mother had taught him. She had taught him the Scriptures, In turn, the Scripture led him to wisdom and salvation.
Moms in the Bible: Eunice’s Story
We only read Eunice’s name once in the Bible. “When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in they grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.” (2 Timothy 1:5 KJV)
She was the product of a mother with a strong faith, and she determined to pass that on to her son.
The Bible tells us in the book of Acts that Timothy’s father was a Greek and his mother was a Jew. That little tidbit of information actually tells us a lot about her. We don’t know how involved Timothy’s father was in raising him, but it seems obvious that his mother was a powerful influence on his life and faith.
Lessons from Eunice
We can stand strong even when we stand alone.
Eunice was a mother caught between lifestyles. Her husband was a Gentile, and she was a Jew. We can only imagine how difficult that would’ve been.
But even though she was a Jew, Eunice didn’t follow the Jewish faith. She left the practices of Judaism behind her when she became a follower of Christ.
As such, she was probably attacked on all sides. She wasn’t a practicing Jew and she wasn’t a Gentile.
In order to raise a son like Timothy, she had to stand strong in her faith, and that may have meant standing alone.
You and I can do the same. Being firm in our faith might mean making decisions that our family or friends don’t understand. But the end result is worth it if our children also make the choice to follow Christ.
We can raise strong sons even when it’s not popular.
Paul spoke highly of Timothy, and trusted him. Paul wrote many times about people who had betrayed him like Phygellus and Hermogenes (2 Timothy 1:15) and Alexander the coppersmith (2 Timothy 4:14).
He needed people in his corner who he could count on. Timothy was just such a person. He had been taught by his mother to be trustworthy and loyal.
We live in a day when raising sons who are gentlemen isn’t cool, but it’s still right. It’s not easy to go against the grain, but it’s possible when we seek the Lord for help in raising our kids.
7 Scripture Prayers to Pray Over Your Sons
We can demonstrate a true faith to our kids even in a fake world.
Our world is full of fakes. You’ll see them on social media, highlight reels and magazine covers. Everyone is pretending to be something or someone they’re not.
I love that the main thing Paul says about Eunice is that she had an unfeigned faith. She wasn’t a fake. She truly lived out her faith for her son. So much so that she inspired that same faith in him.
In this fake world, our kids need to know that their mother is real. That her faith is true. We must live it out in front of them each day until they want to know the God we know.
Challenge for Moms from Eunice
Every part of the Bible is meant to encourage us and help us grow our faith. What can we learn from the short story of Eunice and her mother? What challenge can we take from her life?
After reading and studying about Eunice, I challenge myself to do whatever it takes to raise my two boys to be strong men of God.
Eunice challenges me to make Scripture an important part of my life, and to pass it on to my children. She challenges me to go against the grain and do whatever it takes to encourage my kids to grow up to love God.
Through Eunice’s story I am challenged to have a true faith and live it out in my home every day.
Eunice proved to us that it’s possible to raise a son who will love and serve God when it’s not popular.
Closing Prayer
Lord, thank You for giving us the opportunity to raise children for you. Please, help us to learn from the story of Eunice how to have true faith and live it out before our kids each day. Help us to see motherhood in the light of eternity, and to make decisions that may not be popular, but are right. Help our children to see You in us, and want to follow You, too. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
More Moms in the Bible:
Guest Bio: Lyndsie is a lover of Jesus, her husband, and 2 boys whose names both start with J, though she often can’t remember which is which. Her main job is taking care of said husband and J’s, keeping a cabinet stocked with Oreos and making sure there’s a safe walking path through the Lego. (She’s rarely successful at that last one.)
She fully believes stay-at-home moms can break out of the yoga pants and messy bun stereotype and thrive at home with grace and dignity. You can find her online at Not Just a Stay-at-Home Mom and on Facebook at Not Just a SAHM Blog.
Great encouragement! It is so hard raising our children to be Godly when the culture is constantly trying to tear down our efforts but Eunice inspires me too!
I haven’t studied Eunice much! I loved these insights today and was blessed and challenged, friend! Thank you!
Eunice is such an inspiration for moms and the importance of handing a godly legacy to your children.
Wow, I was really blessed. I have not studied Eunuce much. These were really great insights. Thank you for sharing.