THE MARK OF THE CHRISTIAN
Opening Prayer
Slowly pray the Lord’s Prayer as you begin.
Read 1 Timothy 5:1–16
Widows, Elders and Slaves
5 Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.
3 Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. 4 But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God. 5 The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help. 6 But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. 7 Give the people these instructions, so that no one may be open to blame. 8 Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
9 No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, 10 and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the Lord’s people, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.
11 As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry. 12 Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. 13 Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also busybodies who talk nonsense, saying things they ought not to. 14 So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander. 15 Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan.
16 If any woman who is a believer has widows in her care, she should continue to help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need.
New International Version (NIV)
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Reflect
What are some cultural differences between the first century church and ours?Remember you are reading something written for a specific Christian community two thousand years ago! There are lots of things about this passage that read oddly to a modern mind. Why all the criteria to qualify for help? What about Paul’s generalizations about younger widows (11–14)? But the opening verses set the scene: even when correcting false teaching, the Christian leader should exemplify love and respect (1,2) and lead the church in care for some of the most vulnerable in the community (3). Widows often became destitute due to the set-up of ancient society and culture. So care for widows has always been close to God’s heart (Deut. 10:18; Isa. 1:17), and the early church naturally took this on (Acts 6:1; Jas. 1:27).
Paul’s desire was that limited resources were spent on those who really needed help (3,16b). That meant families who were able to do so should take responsibility to support widowed relatives (4,8,16). And it was important that the church wasn’t subsidizing behavior that was shameful to the surrounding culture (8,13,14). It seems that the false teachers were having a worrying influence over some of these vulnerable young women (15; 4:3; 2 Tim. 3:6). Paul’s goal in all his teaching to Timothy is that true godliness is understood and lived, and that love permeates it all (1:5).
Apply
In what ways can you love those who are vulnerable in your church this week?
Closing prayer
God, help me to see others through Your eyes. May I never be too busy to help those who are close to Your heart.
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