Thought 1 - 1 Timothy 5:1

" Never speak harshly to an older man, but appeal to him respectfully as you would to your own father. Talk to younger men as you would your own brothers. Treat older women as you would your mother, and treat younger women with all purity as you would your own sister."

This verse precedes Paul's discussion to Timothy on how we, as Christians, should take care of Widows, elders, and slaves. This whole section was pretty convicting to me. I have heard many complain about how the church isn't taking care of the widows or the orphans anymore. Firstly, the "church" is not the building or the pastors- it's Christ's followers. So if you, in the church, are complaining about how the "church" isn't doing it's job- well sadly, you are really saying that you are not doing your job. I think people put a lot of pressure on the Pastors to do everything that God is actually calling every believer to do and justify it by saying "well that's what we tithe for"- the tithe is giving back to God, not a way to pay your way out of what God calls us to. Mostly, I just want to encourage the "church" to continue to step up and love others and stop waiting for someone else to do it. But I do also want to note, BEFORE God calls the church to take care of widow- he tells the families to do it and THEN if the widow has no family and devotes her life to God- then the church steps in to help. It's funny to me that Paul has to write this - I guess people were trying to get out of it then just as much as they try to get out of it now!
Now, to address the verse at the top, I began thinking... Does that really apply to today? Of course it does! The problem lies not in the verse but in how our society has changed (or maybe not even changed but of how God expects us to treat our families). When you consider the family structure of the day when Paul is writing, they showed more respect and love for one another. The family was one of the MOST important social structures (if only it were today!) which is why it's actually a pretty big deal when Christ calls us to Love HIM more than our father and mother. Today, our families have become something very different. I Love my family! I remember growing up we would always have dinner seated together- no phone calls at the table!- we'd sit and watch movies or play games. I LOVE THEM! And yet, we didn't always treat each other very well.
Why is it that we have made it easier to treat those that love us the most horribly and treat those outside of our families, those we barely know, like saints? Is it because we know that no matter how poorly we treat our families, the will always love us? Or that they know the Real us and so we don't have to put on a show for them. My question is, however, shouldn't the real us be the same where ever we are? If we work so hard to make others believe we are kind and compassionate- don't we want that to be who we REALLY are and thus we should treat our families the same? I know in my family I have witnessed many times, by myself included, where we are less forgiving of their faults, flaws, or sins than we would be of a complete stranger. We become harsher with them than anyone else. Is this because we have higher expectations of them? Probably. But it only builds strife in the relationships when you are willing to condemn your family member instead of love and help them through the rough situations. Not so that YOUR perfect little family looks good again, but out of love for your sibling, your mother, your father wanting them to know God better and have a better life.(On a side not, ignoring what they do and letting them do whatever harmful thing they want is also NOT loving- I know, the middle ground is a hard place to find) I know I have had to evaluate how I treat those in my family, I ask you to as well? Don't judge your character, who you are and what you do, by how well you treat the homeless man on the street (though it is important to have mercy and compassion on the needy and that should not go undone but it is also another topic altogether!) but ascertain your character by how you treat those that know you best, your family, as well. Maybe this is exactly the opposite for you... maybe you have an awesome relationship with your family but are rude the the stranger on the street- I guess my desire is that we would be that SAME person in all aspects of our life instead of putting on different masks. I pray that Christ would help me, and you, to love to the fullest in all aspects of our lives!