Take Care of Home!
I Timothy 5:8 (ESV)
“But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
While scrolling on social media, I came across a video were a child was walking down a street in 52 degree weather barefooted with no shirt on. He was rescued by a Houston rapper who showed the child’s back scared. This incident illustrates the fallen state of the family unit in America in general and the Black family in particular!
That child represents those who are vulnerable and dependent in society! The Apostle Paul spoke to the issue of the vulnerable and dependent in society as he gives his son in the faith, Timothy clear instructions on how to deal with the vulnerable and dependent in the church at Ephesus. Ephesus had a widow problem that caused them to lose sight of their primary mission of sharing the gospel and making disciples.
The church at Ephesus lost sight of their primary mission because they were spending an enormous amount of resources, energy and time taking care of her widowed community. The issue wasn’t with them taking care of their widows, the issue was with them taking care caring of widows who had male relatives that weren’t taking responsibility to provide for them.
True widows were those who had no male relatives to ensure that they had adequate housing, food and shelter. Those who fell in this category were the responsibility of the church, but not those who had male relatives or even female relatives who were also followers of Jesus Christ. The church was burdened financially by widows who weren’t true widows, so Paul exhorted Timothy to instruct the church at Ephesus to take care of their widowed relatives and their households. Christians who fail to do so, deny the faith or the truth of Scripture and are worse than unbelievers who are committed to caring for their own relatives and households!
If unbelievers are willing to take responsibility for caring for the vulnerable and dependent in their family, surely Christians should be willing to take responsibility for caring for the vulnerable and dependent in their family and church. I Timothy 5:8 is clear that Christians are expected to take care of the physical, spiritual and material needs of those that are legitimately vulnerable and dependent in their family and church. While I was thankful for the Houston rapper taking action to care for that child, it wasn’t his responsibility to do so. It was his family’s responsibility to do so.
Whatever you do, don’t forget to take care of home! Ask yourself, who in my family or church needs my help and support?
God, help me to care for those in my household and church that are legitimately vulnerable and dependent for your glory, Amen!