UBF Daily Bread

PUT YOUR HOPE IN GOD

Passage: 1_Timothy 5:1~16

Key verse: 5

Widows, Elders and Slaves

5 Do not rebuke an older man^(A) harshly,^(B) but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men^(C) as brothers, ²older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.

³Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need.^(D) ⁴But 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,^(E) for this is pleasing to God.^(F) ⁵The widow who is really in need^(G) and left all alone puts her hope in God^(H) and continues night and day to pray^(I) and to ask God for help. ⁶But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives.^(J) ⁷Give the people these instructions,^(K) so that no one may be open to blame. ⁸Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied^(L) the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

⁹No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, ¹⁰and is well known for her good deeds,^(M) such as bringing up children, showing hospitality,^(N) washing the feet^(O) of the Lord’s people, helping those in trouble^(P) and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.

¹¹As 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. ¹²Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. ¹³Besides, 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^(Q) who talk nonsense,^(R) saying things they ought not to. ¹⁴So I counsel younger widows to marry,^(S) to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander.^(T) ¹⁵Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan.^(U)

¹⁶If 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.^(V)

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Paul addresses first how we see each other in the church. He cautions us not to rebuke an older man, keeping the order of respect. He also admonishes Timothy and us to respect older women as mothers and younger women as sisters. When we love Christ purely, we value our church members highly as our own family members who have received the blood of Christ. How do you view your church members?

Paul next addresses the situation of widows. In Ephesus, some widows who didn’t really need help were draining the resources for widows in real need. So, Paul gives restrictions to help Timothy in this matter. Widows should only get help if they are over 60 and have no other resources. Family members should first take care of widows. Young widows should remarry and have a family.

Paul says that only the widow who puts their hope in God should be cared for by the church. A widow is lonely, helpless, and impoverished. She can seek many solutions to her situation, or, by faith, put her hope in God. We, too, like a widow have nothing in this world except Jesus to truly hope. Let’s see our spiritual state before God and put our hope in Christ, our true bridegroom. Let’s rely on him day and night in prayer, like a widow.

Prayer: Father, thank you for giving us real hope in Christ. Help us to rely on him in prayer for help

One Word: Put your hope in God