October 20

Jeremiah 35:1-36:32; 1 Timothy 5:1-25; Psalm 89:14-37; Proverbs 25:25-27 

If you’re like me, you were probably really challenged, encouraged, and even convicted by today’s New Testament reading. As I read Paul’s words to a fellow missionary whom he considers like a son, I was struck by all the amazingly practical advice Paul gives. How happy Timothy must have been to receive it!

When Paul leaves for Macedonia, he leaves behind a new (and somewhat tumultuous) church in Ephesus. But not wanting to leave them high and dry, Paul asks Timothy to stay, which he does. And then later, when Paul realizes that he won’t be able to get back to Ephesus as he had originally planned, he writes Timothy with all kinds of powerful words on how to order the church and feed the sheep.

In today’s passage, we see Paul outline the ideal way the members of the church body should relate to each other – older men are treated like fathers, younger men like brothers, older women like mothers, and younger women like sisters. What an explicit call for the body of Christ to treat each other like family. Imagine, if you will, what our churches would be like if we treated each person there like a treasured member of our immediate family. (This assumes, I know, that you like the people in your immediate family, which I know is not the case for everyone.)

He also gives really practical advice on how to run the finances of the church – take care of the widows who truly have no one (1 Tim. 5:5,9); pay the elders double who labor in preaching and teaching (vs. 17). Additionally, Paul gives some very strong warnings – don’t let people badmouth the elders unless you know it’s a real issue; don’t let young widows become gossips or busybodies.

Did you take a minute to pause after that last warning? Did you notice the end result when women are idle and, instead of finding meaningful work, sit around, talking about people? “For some have already strayed after Satan” (1 Tim. 5:15). Wow. Seriously, wow. That’s a pretty grave way to label someone, but it also shows us how serious Paul is. Gossiping and meddling in other people’s affairs lead us straight to Satan. Hopefully I can remember that next time I’m tempted to share something that isn’t mine to share.

And what did you think of the last verse in today’s passage? “So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden” (1 Tim. 5:25). Do you ever feel like you’re working hard and trying and being generous and selfless and no one even notices? Well, God notices. And eventually, he’ll bring those good deeds to light. So keep it up!

Help us, Lord, to mind our tongues, to treat your church like family, and to do our good works faithfully, for your praise. Amen!

- Esther McCurry

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