Greetings sisters!
Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers,
Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints;
That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.
Philemon 1:3-7
The Lord allowed me to be back...for in Him we live and move and have our being! I hope you're all pressing on in Him in faith and love!
Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.2 Timothy 1:13
Today I thought I'd share edifying and encouragement from a scripture on widows and particularly the ones that were elligible for help from the ekklesia. I think it's a good model for us sisters to strive for as an example of a godly woman no matter how old we are or what our life situation. We are blessed to have His word and examples to learn from also!
So here is the scripture and I know I probably share it often but that's ok as it's good!
Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man, Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work.1 Timothy 5:9-10
I often ponder this scripture as it's a good picture of an older woman with a good track record as a faithful saint. And I think if we sisters want to have a good track record...for God's glory...then it starts today doesn't it. Well it started when we came to the Lord and we know we can and will fail at times but overall we want to leave behind us a good testimony. We want to be perfect but the reality that keeps us humble is that we won't be. This doesn't mean we don't try but we just keep pressing on and repenting always when we need to. These widows that were to be elligible for aid were to have this good record.
So I wanted to look at each point because it's definitely edifying for us to strive to be godly women from the examples or models we see in the Word such as this. It's good to go and read the whole chapter to get the context though as there's a lot more to it. Our brother Paul under the Spirit's guidance is giving the saints direction of how to care for widows. So let us sisters strive to please our Lord as no doubt all of these qualities do!
And on the other hand the widows that were living in pleasure...who were dead while they lived...did not receive the help. Also the younger widows were not to be receiving this help, or one's that had their children or grandchildren...or other believers to care for them.
But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God....If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.1 Timothy 5:4,16
No doubt these also are some good instructions for women too after Paul wrote about the younger widows getting into trouble...
I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully. For some are already turned aside after Satan.1 Timothy 5:14-15
So here are the points of the good qualities a woman, that was a widow indeed to receive aid, was to have as her track record.
*Having been the wife of one man
She was a good and faithful wife to her husband when he was still alive. She was not an adulterous woman. She had a single heart for him just as we do for our one God and Lord!
Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
Proverbs 31:10-12
In a way, this whole account reminds me of the diligent and hardworking Proverbs 31 woman too.
*Well reported of for good works
This is she was widely known for good works. Her light was shining and others could see it. She did good to them and no doubt people talk about others and it spreads. She was not idle, nor living in pleasure. She would not have returned evil for evil but good for evil. Many knew about who she was and what she did...and she did much good!
Reminds me of our sister Dorcas who when she died they showed the clothes she had sewn for them. This is a good report of good works indeed too!
Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.Acts 9:39
I love that...well not that the widows were sad but that she had looked after them and we know she was raised from the dead! That's amazing!
Indeed it says she was full of good works and almsdeeds.
Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.Acts 9:36
*If she have brought up children
She was to have been a good and faithful mother if the Lord had given her children. We know today many women shirk these duties and dump their children off at day cares and schools for them to be brought up there. A godly mother doesn't do so but brings them up herself in the Lord and His ways. She is to guide the house and be a keeper of the home. She will not be slack in these duties nor leave the raising of her children to others while she seeks a career. Not that a woman can't work if she needs to but if she has a husband who is doing so it's not likely she needs to and will be doing her good works of keeping the home and raising the children. This is no small undertaking either depending on how many children she has but will take a lot of her time and energy...but it is pleasing to the Lord!
*If she have lodged strangers
Perhaps less of a common practice in our day but we still are to be hospitable...kind and helpful to strangers as other scriptures tell us as well.
Use hospitality one to another without grudging.1 Peter 4:9
Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.Hebrews 13:2
Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers;3 John 1:5
*If she have washed the saint's feet
This shows she was to be a serving woman doing the lowly jobs like washing the saints' feet, a needed and dirty task back then. We see Jesus giving us an example to serve others when He who was their Master stooped to wash his disciples' feet.
If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.
For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
John 13:14-17
And yes even today perhaps a saint could need their feet washed if they had been working hard in a dirty environment. But we could also apply the principle to do needed lowly tasks to help others. And these may not always be the most pleasant ones but to be humble and not be afraid to get our hands dirty. Jesus said serving is the greatest and we see how even though He was God and deserved to be served Himself He served the people He was among.
*If she have relieved the afflicted
She will care about those suffering or going through trials. This word is the same word as used in the verse about the way to eternal life being narrow (afflicted). So in a way, every saint on the narrow road is going through affliction. She will help to bear burdens and help physically if she can. She can pray and offer words of encouragement and share scriptures too where possible. We see all through the Word about caring for those struggling.
I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.Acts 20:35
We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.Romans 15:1
Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.1 Thessalonians 5:14
Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality...Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.Romans 12:13,15
(Keeping in mind most of these scriptures are how saints are to treat one another in the body. Just have to remember the context.)
*If she have diligently followed every good work
This shows she is to have been diligent in seeking to do good in everything she could and not just half hearted about it. We see many places in scripture that we are to be about good works.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.Ephesians 2:10
That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;Colossians 1:10
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.2 Timothy 3:17
There are many good works you can think about that are your duties to do in the life you have sisters! So keep being encouraged in those! Don't grow weary in them even if they are very repetitive! And even if we do not have all the opportunities to do all these things these elligible widows did, we know the Lord knows and sees all we do and it matters if we were faithful in little...faithful in what He did give us! There is always a place for examining our lives and making sure we are diligently following every of good work we know how.
And yes...bad works have no place do they and we root them out if we find any in our lives or we fall into them.
We do not want to bring reproach upon our Saviour's name so we do want to have a good report of good works. Oh yes we have been told though that the world will hate us so of course we may have evil reports given about us too. Or any failing blown up to look like that's who we are instead...but that's expected by evil hearts and I think of Daniel actually.
Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.Daniel 6:4-5
He's a good example for us too as he stood firm and faithful to God in a strange land. But indeed we do have to be careful to not bring reproach on His name by failing but praise God for His mercy and forgiveness and that He blots out our sins! It keeps us humble lest we think we have attained. Oh no we haven't but we keep pressing on in His goodness!
And I just share this scripture also. It's just interesting seeing how they did things back then when there were many believers around.
And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
Acts 6:1-6
I think I shared before how I find it interesting how they chose seven godly men to serve the widows...Stephen being one. It tells how the disciples didn't want to be concerned about earthly matters as they were focusing on the Word and the gospel. But it does show it was an important position and it's interesting how even in that they chose men rather than women. We know God has ordained that the men be the leaders and teachers and overseers and such. But praise God for showing us sisters how we behave ourselves in the house of God in other things!
These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
1 Timothy 3:14-15
So hopefully this was an edifying study to ponder on and learn from and have good things to strive to attain to. Obviously we sisters do not all have the same opportunities as each other or as these elligible widows but if we do have situations like these we will find them because we will be diligently following every good work!
Keep pressing on in the good works around you sisters!
As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.Galatians 6:10
For His glory!
Love in Christ,
Sister Chayil
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