Happy Friday to all of you! There's nothing better than hearing from God to start our day. I, Michele, am focusing today on 1 Timothy 5:1-16. The topic of this reading is caring for widows and this is what I hear God saying to me:
Take care of any widow who has no one else to care for her. But if she has children or grandchildren, their first responsibility is to show godliness at home and repay their parents by taking care of them. This is something that pleases God. (v. 3-4)
These two verses speak to my heart because my parents took in my grandmother, who was a widow, and cared for her when she could no longer care for herself. My mother spent most of her time, outside of her regular occupation, caring for my grandmother. She also eventually removed herself from the outside workforce to care for her full time. It was no easy job, physically or emotionally, but she did it anyway out of love for her mother. That pleased God!
I currently work in a hospital and see patients every day who may have no one to help care for them. Maybe they have never had children or they have no living family members. I can't fathom being alone in this world, but they live their lives this way. It breaks my heart to hear the stories of loneliness and isolation that some people experience. In some cases, God has given these individuals a handful of very good friends, neighbors, or a church who's members help as much as possible. There are others who resonate with the fact that they will live out the rest of their days in a nursing home in order to be cared for.
Praise God that there are facilities, church ministries, friends, neighbors, and/or family members who will step up and help to care for those who have no one else. God commands us in this reading to care for our parents and grandparents or any widow who has no one else to do so. I don't believe this excludes widowers but Paul chose to focus on widows because women generally did not have a means of supporting themselves.
I commend my mother and all of you who are reading this and have given of your time and/or resources to care for someone else who was/is otherwise alone in this world. That is an act of obedience and very pleasing to God!
God, give us obedient hearts when it comes to loving and caring for those who are alone and in need. Put in our hearts an overwhelming compassion for the isolated and alone, especially our family members. Move us to service for you, Lord. We want to please you! Amen
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Very well stated, Michele! Kudos to your mom! So many people do live alone and uncared for in this world. The thought of that happening to me is scary. But my observation is that the best way to prevent that from happening is to be a person who actively cares for others. People who reach out and show love and give help to others through their lives almost never seem to end up alone. There is usually someone who remembers their past kindnesses and wants to step up and repay them. "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy."
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