TUESDAY April 29, 2025

Piety in the Home

Honor widows who are really widows. But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety at home and to repay their parents; for this is good and acceptable before God.
1 Timothy 5:3-4

Timothy listened to Paul, who continued his thoughts toward the elderly, as he also addressed issues regarding widows. It is important to understand that widows among the body of Christ are not only the responsibility of the Church; they are the responsibility of their families.

The Bible states: honor widows who are really widows––those who have lost their husbands and are utterly forsaken. The word honor here literally means “to give proper recognition.” Widows have great needs––prayer, love, care, and attention. They cannot be forgotten.

In Acts 6, there was a big problem that arose in the early church. Widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. So Hellenists––Jewish Christians who spoke Greek and were influenced by the Greek culture––brought the problem to the Apostle Peter’s attention. Peter took care of the situation by asking the brethren to find seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, who could be appointed over the business (Acts 6:3). Peter recognized the duty of pastors was to give themselves to prayer and to the Word of God (Acts 6:4).

Make time to care for the elderly in your family. Do not be so hasty to put them into rest homes. Sometimes children of elderly parents want to place them in a rest home because they are selfish. In America this often happens, but in other countries, especially third world countries, the grandmother and grandfather live in the home until they die.

I visit many rest homes, and it is really sad to see old people sitting there by themselves without any visitors. They hope that someone in their family will come to visit them––a daughter or a son. Months go by, but nobody comes. It is as if they are there just waiting to die.

Adult children have a great responsibility in taking care of their parents. They took care of you; now it is your turn to care for them. That is biblical.

Do not cast me off in the time of old age; do not forsake me when my strength fails.
~Psalm 71:9~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!