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I Timothy 5:9-10, No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the Lord’s people, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.

In this final chapter of I Timothy, Paul is back to giving very specific instructions for how the church is to treat its people.  Again, this is culture-specific and seems to be in reaction to particular situations.  He wants to be sure seniors are respected, that there are specific guidelines around the care of old and young widows, that the elders/pastors are given proper reverence, and that Timothy drinks a little wine to settle his upset stomach.

Overall, Paul is demonstrating that he cares.  He loves Timothy and he loves the church.  He wants the church to deal with its conflicts and problems in an effective way.  Sometimes, Paul's solutions seem a little odd to us in 2022 but we can be assured that Paul was quite revolutionary in his thinking.  Finally, his primary motivation was to lead more people to Jesus.

What's your primary motivation?

Let's pray...Lord Jesus, More of you, less of me.  In Your Name, Amen.