Thursday, September 29, 2011

Godly Women Now - Dinner #18

     None of us who are married desire to be widows, but there is a passage in I Timothy that speaks of those elderly widows that should be taken care of by the church.  It is interesting to note the qualifications involved, as they should be guidelines from the Lord for how we ladies are to be living our lives!  If God desires that we be considered godly ladies in the future, what should we be working on NOW?
     I Timothy 5:9-10 describes this special lady as, “. . . 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.”

     “. . . having been the wife of one man . . .”  She is FAITHFUL!  She loves her husband and stays by him.  She does not allow her heart to wander, either in youth or in old age.  Her husband is her man FOR LIFE!

     “Well reported of for good works . . .” Others know her for her goodness.  She is always looking for nice things to do and ways to be of help to people. 

     “ . . . if she have brought up children . . .”  She is a godly Mommy.  Are you going through the day in, day out, process of bringing up children? Are you raising them for the Lord? That is a special task from God!

     “ . . . if she have lodged strangers . . .” You may not even know that missionary family or those traveling college singers, but are you willing to take them into your own home?  Are you, as the Bible says elsewhere, “given to hospitality”?

     “. . . if she have washed the saints’ feet . . .” Have you been a true servant in the Lord’s work?  Do you volunteer to clean church bathrooms? Empty trash? Wipe toddler noses? Change nursery diapers? The “yucky” jobs are not the glorious ones, but they are meaningful to the Lord!

     “ . . . if she have relieved the afflicted . . .”  Do you care about church members when they are ill?  You don’t have to be exposed to a whole lot of germs to bring over a homecooked meal to someone, or to send them an encouraging “get well” card.  Sometimes even a caring phone call can be a “relief to the afflicted”.  But there are other women who are willing to go the extra mile to help with dishes, changing sheets, washing clothes, etc., and that is such a blessing! 

      “ . . . if she have diligently followed every good work.”  This seems to be a lot like the earlier phrase “Well reported of for good works”, but it takes it to an even higher level.  This godly lady doesn’t just do nice things for people, but she DILIGENTLY LOOKS for what good she can do!  EVERY GOOD WORK . . . If there are ways she can be a blessing, she doesn’t want to miss out on a SINGLE ONE!

     You and I may not be widows yet – may, Lord willing, NEVER be widows – but God shows us in these verses that He does have certain things that we should be working on NOW.  He has certain guidelines for what makes a godly elderly lady in the future – certain things she applies to her life in her youth and continues through the years.  I Timothy 5:14 says, “I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.”  Don’t give Satan any reason to speak evil of your behavior as a Christian wife or mother!  Live as a godly woman who glorifies God today! 

No comments:

Post a Comment