God wants me to take COMPASSION seriously
1 Timothy 5

Guidelines in caring for widows:

1. RESPECT your elders.

2.Treat the people in your church LIKE FAMILY.

3. All widows need to be CARED FOR, but the party responsible is not always THE SAME.
A) Whenever possible, FAMILIES should care for their own.
B) YOUNGER WIDOWS should find a way to serve and be productive.
C) When a widow is really in need, God calls on HIS CHURCH to help.

“Too much time with not enough to do is dangerous for anyone except those too old to get into trouble.”

Bible knowledge commentary. Page 743.

In those days, what made a widow qualified for full-support from the church?

1. She must be OVER 60.

2. She has been FAITHFUL to her husband.

3. She is known for her GOOD DEEDS.

A wise welfare policy for today:

1. Are they able to TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES? LET THEM!

2. Do they have FAMILY MEMBERS who could care for them? THEY NEED TO.

3. Are there any other SOLUTIONS? PURSUE THEM.

4. If there are no other means of help, THE CHURCH SHOULD STEP IN and help as they are able.

How can we best help when our resources are limited?

Let’s care for people in need the way we hope to be cared for when we’re the ones in need!

My NEXT STEP with God this week:

…consider, “Am I caring for the needy people in my life as I will want to be cared for when my turn comes?” (Invite God to increase my compassion and show me where it’s needed this week.)

…ask God, “How can I increase the sense of ‘family’ in my church?”

…have a conversation with an aging relative about their long-term care preferences.

…share this sermon with a family member who I hope will take care of me when I’m older. (Find it on FaceBook)