1 Timothy 5 - Who Should the Church Help Or Not Help?

1 Timothy 5

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

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

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

It is interesting that Paul spends almost all of the last chapter of 1 Timothy teaching how widows should be treated by the church. Why? 

1. Women in Paul's day did not usually have the education, training, and opportunity to find a job that could support them and their families. Therefore, when their husbands died they faced a lack of financial resources.

2. Paul taught how important it was for a family to take care of their own. Children and grandchildren such be the primary caregivers for their parents.  As a pastor, I see such a diffrence when widows have families who are there for them and provide for them, versus family members who seem to just walk away or can't be bothered. 

It's hard to imagine why a son or daughter could abandon the same person that gave then life and raised them. Paul says that this what it means to "put your religion into practice". The evidence of our Christian faith is shown in how we treat people who are vulnerable and in need. As James says, 

"Faith without deeds is dead". James 2:26

3. Paul puts some boundaries around who were legitimate widows which the church should take care of and presumably give financial resources  First, they should be over 60. They should have a good reputation and manage their household well. Remember the culture in Paul's was a lot different than our "egalitarian" culture today. 

Paul lists six ways in which a widow would show their faithfulness. 

1. Be known for her good deeds

2. Bring up her children in a loving household.

3. Showing hospitality to strangers. 

4. Wash the feet of the Lord's people. This could have been a metaphor for serving others, or literally washing other's feet as Jesus did. 

5. Helping those in trouble. 

Paul is illustrating a very important principle that is very much as relevant today. The church didn't just give away money or handouts without having some reasonable standards attached to such gifts. Note he uses the phrase, "those who are really in need". 

I can't tell you how many times people in supposedly in need have to come church asking for money. It is such a fine line between showing the love of Jesus to people in need, and being discerning of those who are truly in need or just trying to take advantage of the church. 

Note Paul describes those widows who prayed and relied on God. versus those who were given over to sensual desires. In another verse from 2 Thessalonans 3:10 Paul says, "Those who don't work don't eat." 

So clearly Paul advocates people taking responsibility to provide for themselves and their families. The church should help those who are truly in need, not those who could be working and don't. In conclusion, yes we are called to help those in need in Jesus' name. But we are also called to be wise and discerning, especially with the church's resources. We are actually not helping those who aren't willing to work, yet want the church, the government, and everyone else to help them. We are only enabling bad behavior. 

Jesus, help us to geniunely care for those who in need. The sick, the elderly, the truly homeless, and widows and orphans. This shows the world the authenticity of our Christian faith. But also help us to be wise and discerning like the apostle Paul in determining who is truly in need of help! Amen.