I Timothy for Beginners

Paul is providing practical instructions to Timothy and Titus on the roles and relationships in the body of Christ. To Timothy, he addresses this primarily from a position based on respect. In his instructions to Titus, we see that if they fulfill their role, then they are indeed worthy of our affection and respect. In both cases, we see that our senior saints are worthy of our love, respect and honor.

Although Paul provides instructions to Timothy and Titus, we must remember that all of us are to minister (care for) others. It is not the singular responsibility of those we hire as ministers to fulfill our own responsibilities towards those in need.

We are to show compassion, love and mercy as our Lord demonstrated for us. There is no greater need than to care for those who are unable to provide for themselves. The culture of Paul's and James' day did not have the institutional means to provide for widows. If families could not or did not provide for them, they became truly destitute and incapable of providing for themselves. The church has historically been sensitive to provide for its members who are widows in need (Acts 6). This care has been a true measure of the sincerity of the church's love for Christ.

"Being a faithful Christian means you care for your family members in need."

Our circumstances in life change but we must always remain faithful. The family was the first institution God created. Caring for family, especially our elderly parents is one way we honor our parents.

Look for responses about providing for each other, caring for one another, especially those of the household of faith. This is an important part of the role of the church. It was demonstrated early on in Acts 2:42-47 and is an ongoing responsibility of the church to this day. When this happens, the reputation of the church is enhanced, and people see our Lord's love demonstrated thus encouraging them to become a part of the body of Christ.

In this instance, Paul's teaching to Timothy focused on the widows, who were among the most vulnerable people of that time. The lesson here was that when the church showed compassion to widows, it demonstrated the character of Christ Who was especially concerned with the most vulnerable in that society. We ask for His love, mercy and compassion so we must therefore express and demonstrate that to others as well. It would be easy for someone to be overlooked in a large and busy church, especially a widow in need. Paul's teaching was a reminder to keep the most vulnerable in mind while carrying out the busy demands of ministry.

A point of note. Even if someone has a family to care for them, we still should monitor the situation to ensure that needs are met. There are not only physical needs, but also emotional and social needs as well. One way we do this is to include them in our congregational activities and utilize their talents and resources.

Our care is not limited to widows. We are responsible to provide for our families. This has always been part of God's will (See Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16). This also impacts the task of caring for our neighbor (See Luke 10:25-37). Consider, for example, young mothers who need help caring for small children.

Although there are various resources in our society that can care for those in need, caring for peoples' needs is still a significant responsibility of the church, especially for those who are members of the body of Christ. This provides encouragement for faithfulness and encouragement for those seeking a relationship with Jesus.

Benevolence work provides a ministry opportunity for many, including those who would be receiving help. We offer a blessing to those in need and enable them to pass blessings on to others.