For whose benefit?

Few people in the Bible receive such high praise as Timothy, 'I have no one like him,' says Paul, 'who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare.' (Philippians 2:20).
Paul contrasts Timothy with so many of the other believers he has encountered, 'They all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.' (21)
As disciples and servants of the Lord Jesus, we ought to be interested only in his interests because of who he is an who we are. But it's not only a matter of obligation, surely as those who have been rescued from slavery to sin and from the wrath of God, and as children of God, we delight in serving our Saviour.
And yet serving our own interests seems so much more attractive and pleasing, partly because we're so easily beguiled by immediate, short term pleasures and partly because we're blind to the source and goal of our true best interests. Surely the truth is that if we serve the interests of Christ, we will, in fact, be serving our own best interest? If he is honoured, we his family are honoured. When we walk his way, we find our true humanity. In serving him is the fulness of joy. But we have to keep reminding ourselves of this.

It would be easy to pass over verse 22 too quickly, '...you know Timothy's proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel.' Here is Timothy serving as an apprentice to Paul. Not just any apprentice but as a son growing up in the family business, serving his Master, Jesus Christ, and learning his trade from his father, Paul. Timothy is loyal and hard-working, always putting the interests of others (2:4) and Jesus Christ before his own. Foregoing what he wants for the sake of what Paul or Jesus need or ask.

We each need to make searching applications into our own lives. Am I one of 'the others' or am I a 'Timothy'?