Family

DEVOTION
1 TIMOTHY
FAMILY
1 Tim 5:16
16 If any woman who is a believer has widows in her family, she should help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need.
NIV
The last of the statements about these widows and to be honest with myself I am glad to be getting through with it. It certainly is right up close and personal as to what should be done about widows. Now from a personal point of view I am so proud of my wife for she is in full compliance of this requirement having her elderly mother, who is a widow, live with us. She is fulfilling her commission from God regarding caring for her mother. Now, although it does not say anything about the role the husband has of such a women who has a widow in the family, I would have to come to the conclusion this woman who cares for the widow is not a widow herself. It would certainly make sense to me the husband of such a women should be a man who manages his household well, and loves his family and serves the Lord so in doing approves of such care because he knows the scriptures and is in compliance with them also. I think it is a whole family affair in this caring for widows within the family. I do not think it can be an isolated independent action of a woman who is married. The two shall become one. I wonder, however, if the church fulfills its role in this matter. Does the church instruct families of this standard, or just jump in where it should not. Or are there widows with believing family members who fail to fulfill their responsibilities and instead of instructing them, the church just takes over? Again after over two thousand sermons I have heard not a one of them directly about this matter. What is wrong with this picture? Why is that? It seems Pastors would rather preach about money then about women, and they find it very difficult to preach on money, because people think so dearly of it. But preaching about women might surely lose him members and thus lose income for the church, for I think in many marriages the women controls the purse strings. Talk about getting into deep waters, I think I need a submarine. How did I get on this tangent anyway? I think in truth, this issue is pretty straight forward, women should pay attention to this and the husband as the head of the household should make sure they do, and assist them in any way he can fulfill their responsibility to God because that is his. I believe this is being a family.