2 Timothy 1:13-18: in context

As Paul writes from prison near the end of his life, he notes with sorrow that many have deserted him: all who are in Asia turned away from me. But against this backdrop of desertion, he remembers one man with gratitude. May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, he writes, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain, but when he was in Rome, he sought me diligently and found me. While others turned away, Onesiphorus sought Paul out, refreshed him, and was not ashamed to be associated with a prisoner.

Onesiphorus stands out precisely because of the contrast. Many had deserted Paul, drawing back from a prisoner whose association had become dangerous and shameful in the eyes of the world. But Onesiphorus did the opposite. He was not ashamed of Paul's chains; he did not draw back from the imprisoned apostle to protect himself, but sought Paul out, diligently, until he found him, and often refreshed him. He gave the ministry of encouragement and refreshment to a man in hard and lonely circumstances, standing by him when others turned away. Paul remembered it with deep gratitude. This holds up a ministry worth learning: the ministry of refreshing and standing by those in hard circumstances. There are people in difficult, lonely, even shameful situations, the imprisoned, the suffering, the disgraced, whom others draw back from, unwilling to be associated with them or to bear the cost of their company. And there is a great ministry in doing what Onesiphorus did: not being ashamed of them, seeking them out, standing by them, refreshing them in their hardship. Remember those in prison, Hebrews says, as though in prison with them. To draw near to the suffering when others draw back, to refresh those in hard circumstances, to be unashamed of association with the lowly or disgraced, is a ministry God notices and honors, as Paul honored Onesiphorus. And it is a ministry that blesses the one who gives it as well. He who refreshes others, the proverb says, will himself be refreshed. To be an Onesiphorus to someone in a hard place is to give a gift that returns. This searches how we treat those in difficult circumstances. Do we draw back, like those who deserted Paul, unwilling to bear the cost or shame of standing by the suffering? Or do we, like Onesiphorus, seek them out, refresh them, stand by them, unashamed of association with them in their hardship? Paul remembered Onesiphorus with gratitude and prayed the Lord's mercy on his household. And the ministry of refreshing and standing by those in hard circumstances, when others turn away, is one God honors and one we are called to give, being to the suffering what Onesiphorus was to Paul, unashamed and faithful when others draw back.

When someone is in a hard, lonely, or even shameful situation that others draw back from, do I withdraw to protect myself, unwilling to bear the cost of standing by them, or can Onesiphorus, who was not ashamed of Paul's chains but sought him out and often refreshed him, move me to the ministry of refreshing and standing by those in hard circumstances, seeking them out and encouraging them when others turn away, being to the suffering what he was to Paul?