[:en]ADVICE ABOUT WIDOWS, ELDERS AND SLAVES (vs. 1-25)
“Do not rebuke older man harshly but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers and younger women as sisters with absolute purity. (vs. 1-2) Proper recognition must be given to those widows who were really in need. Children and grandchildren should take care of the widows in their families. He suggested younger widows should remarry and start new families. He ordered the church notto support lazy members who refused to work. Members should work hard and be independent so that they can care for themselves and for the less fortunate members.
Paul stressed that each family must care for the needs of its widows. Those widows with no children or other family members need to be supported and they in turn must give valuable service to the church. The church must also support those without families, elderly, disabled, ill or poverty-stricken with their emotional and spiritual needs. A person who neglects his own family responsibilities has denied the faith.
The early church has a list of support for older widows who commit themselves to work for the church in exchange for financial support. Some qualifications for those church works are required. They should be at least 60 years old, faithful to their husbands, and well known for their kind deeds.
Faithful church leaders should be supported and appreciated. Too often, they are targets for criticism because the congregation has unrealistic expectation. Jesus and Paul emphsized the importance of supporting those who lead and teach us.
Elders who preach and teach are worthy of double honor. Unfortunately, we often take them for granted and criticize them for minor imperfections, failure to meet somone’s expectations or personal clashes. Paul said that accusation should not be heard unless 2 or 3 withnesses confirm them. Sometimes church leaders should be confronted about their behavior and sometimes they should be rebuked. But all rebuking must be done fairly and lovingly and for the purpose of restoration.
We live in a society that plays favorites. But Christians should not have favoritism giving preferential treatment to some and ignoring others. Honor people for who they are in Christ and not for who they are in the world.
It is a serious responsibility for the church to choose its leaders. They should have strong faith and be morally upright. Church leaders should live lives that are above reproach.[:]