normzjajaffekim

Being a widow for almost 21 yrs is not an easy task. Along the way  there were struggles, trials and temptations I met. However, I was able to overcome them because I found peace and deliverance in submission to God’s words daily, His wonderful and everlasting love, his amazing grace, guidance and his magnificent power.

To everyone, especially all widows, I advice you to read the BIBLE daily, meditate on them, so we will be properly guided to challenge our enemies as we encounter them everyday of our lives.

This is my reading today from the book of 1 Timothy 5:3-16 about Paul’s instruction to Timothy "advice to widows."

The church should care for 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 very much. But a woman who is a true widow, one who is truly alone in this world, has placed her hope in God. Night and day she asks God for help and spends much time in prayer. But the widow who lives only for pleasure is spiritually dead, Church will not support this widow so that church will not be criticized. But those who won’t care for their own relatives especially those living in the same household have denied what we beleive. Such people are worse than unbelievers.

A widow who is put on the list for support must be a woman who is at least 60 yrs. old and was faithful to her husband. She must be well respected by everyone because of the good she has done. Has she brought up her children well? Has she been kind to strangers? Has she helped those who are in trouble? Has she always been ready to do good?

The younger widow should not be on the list because their physical desires will overpower thier devotion to Christ and they will want to remarry. Then they would be guilty of breaking their previous pledge. Besides, they are likely to become lazy and spend their time gossiping from house to house, getting into other people’s business and saying things they shouldn’t. So, it was advice that these younger widows will marry again, have children and take care of their own homes.

If a christian woman has relatives who are widows, she must take care of them and not put the responsibility on the church. Then the church can care for the widows who are truly alone.