Thursday – Letters

Reading – 1 Timothy 5

Highlight Verse:

“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.”
‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭5‬:‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Let’s get the elephant in the room out of the way right up front. I believe that, if you take this verse in context and apply it within today’s culture, then it applies to both men and women.

If you believe otherwise, I have no problem with you holding an opposing opinion.

Let’s not let that get in the way of the real point here. We should make sure our elderly parents are taken care of.

Depending on where you live, income and assets, and their needs, what that means for each person can vary greatly.

Reading on, we find that, in that culture, the Church met the needs of widows.

Again, this is open to interpretation.

But, I think we can agree that the church should play some part in providing for those in need. In todays culture, this could be as simple as donating to a food bank or a shelter.

Generosity and social responsibility are principals which should be valued by both the local church and churchgoer. It should not be left entirely to government to take care of.

What is your take on this verse?
Should it be the adult children who bear the responsibility for elderly relatives?
What should our roles be toward caring for the needy?