The Church is family – widows in your family

I don’t think I have ever preached a sermon regarding widows. Yet it’s right here in this letter, to the Church leader, Timothy. 

Widows, as in places around the world today, were the most vulnerable, often left without support. 

As we read this chapter we not only see Paul’s wise advice of the management of church, but we see his compassionate care. 

“If any believing woman has widows in her care, she should continue to help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need.” – 1 Timothy 5:16 (NIV)

Here’s the Message, ““Any Christian woman who has widows in her family is responsible for them. They shouldn’t be dumped on the church. The church has its hands full already with widows who need help.”

• Don’t use Church resources when the responsibility is actually with the family.
• The Church are not being stingy by simply asking, ‘who is really in need?’
• This is not about putting a limitation on the compassion of the Church but rather making sure that it comes from more than one place, so that the maximum care can be given.
• The question is raised: are you fulfilling your responsibilities within your family? (Paul clearly speaks of ‘believing women’ which doesn’t exclude any other member but is probably because at the time the women were socially responsible to take care of the older women in their family)
• There’s a further question, ‘would it be wise for the Church to teach more on family responsibility, not just about being single or married?’

This instruction reminds us that caring for the vulnerable is both a personal and communal responsibility. It calls believing families to step up in caring for their own while ensuring that the church’s resources remain available for those who have no other source of support.

Far from being merely an ancient administrative rule, it provides timeless wisdom about responsibility, stewardship, and the beautiful interplay between family care and church community.

In a world where we see so much breakdown of the family and many live isolated and lonely lives, Paul’s teaching is a vision to aspire towards and a model for Church and family alike, that we do well to heed.