Morning Moments

The common sense lessons about respect and manners are so important to us all. God is a Relational God and created us to be Responsibly Relational People. It seems in recent years we have ceased teaching our girls to be ladies and our boys to be gentlemen. To be polite and courteous should be engrained in all of us, but especially believers. There is no excuse for men not treating women purely and politely, and other men with respect.

This next section in 1 Timothy 5, deals with an area that the Church of today has left to the government and personal estates for the most part. It deals with the support of widows and gives guidelines for their care.

We have a general responsibility to all believers to help them in their need, when we can. It is why the early Church "had all things common" and shared with one another. But this group is most often neglected as it was in the early Church. The attendance of this group is the direct responsibility of deacons.

1 Timothy 5:3-16

It will be easier if we first read the entire section and then comment on it -

1 Timothy 5:3-16 (KJV)

WIDOWS

The Condition - widows indeed
3 Honour widows that are widows indeed.

The Children
4 But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.

The Consecration
5 Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.

The Carnal - "dead while she liveth"
6 But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth. 7 And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless.

The Charge - "worse than an infidel"
8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

The Conditions -
Her Age
9 Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old,

Her Allegiance
...having been the wife of one man,

Her Actions
10 Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work.

The Care - "relieve them"
16 If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.

We will build upon this tomorrow, God Willing.
BLESSINGS!