1 Timothy – Week 9 – Day 2

READ 

1 Timothy 5:16 

16 If a woman who is a believer has relatives who are widows, she must take care of them and not put the responsibility on the church. Then the church can care for the widows who are truly alone. 

Paul went outside the range of the immediate family with these instructions. This refers to a woman who is a believer and has relatives who are widows. It assumes that the woman is able to take care of widows in the extended family. The reason for Paul’s instructions are so the church can help widows who are truly alone with no one else to help, not even someone in the extended family. 

REFLECT 

Have you thought about these instructions from Paul before? This certainly stresses the need to love and help those not only in the immediate family but also in the extended family if it is possible to help. 

RESPOND 

Read 1 John 3:17-19 that tells of the need to help others when it is possible. All believers need to take these instructions seriously and not place an unnecessary burden on the church that has the responsibility of helping those who truly need help.