Day 1046: Starting at home - 1 Timothy 5 vs 1 - 8

1-2 Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity. 3-4 Honour widows who are truly widows. But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God. 5-6 She who is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day, but she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives.

7 Command these things as well, so that they may be without reproach. 8 But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. 1 Timothy 5:1-8 English Standard Version

It's not unusual to hear people speak of a 'generation gap' in society. There's often a gulf between the young and the old. Older people might speak negatively of 'the youth of today', and young people may show little respect for those who are older. But we see from today's reading that this 'gap' isn’t something new. Earlier in this letter the apostle Paul had said to Timothy “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” So how was he to set an example to the Church? (vs 1-2)

He was to treat the various age groups as one would, hopefully, treat one's own family members. Sadly, there have been, and still are, families that have fallen apart. But Paul is using the example of a home where there is love and respect for one another. And what he was urging Timothy to do was meant to be an example for all believers to follow. We should behave towards one another in the congregation by treating older members as we would our own father and mother, and younger members we would our own brothers or sisters.

The words 'in all purity' apply to our behaviour towards everyone in the Church. But they especially apply to our conduct towards those of the opposite sex. Sadly, all too often we hear of Christians falling far short of the example Paul sets before us. Even prominent Church leaders have been guilty of not only arrogant attitudes, but of sexual misconduct too.

One of the special areas where love and respect could be shown in those days was in the way the Church responded to widows. There were no large pension schemes or Government agencies to look after a woman whose husband had died. So if the widow didn't own the house she had lived in, or didn't have a well paid job to fall back on, who does Paul say needed to be the first to come to her aid? (vs 3-4)

If she had any children or grandchildren who were followers of Christ, it was an opportunity for them to show godliness to their own family. It was chance for them to give back to the woman who had given so much to them. She may not have been perfect in all her ways. But then again, they were probably not perfect either. Families have imperfections, and that's why godly living needs to begin at home. We need to put Christ's love into action in how we respond to the imperfections in our families. Paul says when we do that, it is pleasing to God!

But what about a widow who may have no family left to care for her? Should she expect everyone in the Church to rally around her, and to fuss her? (vs 5-6)

No. On the contrary, rather than wanting to be the centre of everyone's attention, she ought to put her hopes and confidence in God and use the time of her widowhood to grow stronger in prayer. In Psalm 68:4-6 God's people are called to “Sing praises to God and to His name, and rejoice in His presence! Father to the fatherless, defender of widows - this is God, whose dwelling is holy. God places the lonely in families.” This is who she is trusting in.

Paul puts what he's been saying very strongly in vs 8. He says: “If anyone doesn't provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” It seems that our love should even extend to relatives beyond our immediate family. That's not always easy and we will only be able to do that if we remind ourselves how much Christ has loved us. But this is what it means to be a follower of Jesus. We must learn to put godliness into action, and a good place to start is in our own home.