URC Daily Devotion Tuesday 30 September 2025

1 Timothy 5: 3 – 16

Honour widows who are really widows. If a widow has children or grandchildren, they should first learn their religious duty to their own family and make some repayment to their parents; for this is pleasing in God’s sight.  The real widow, left alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day;  but the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. Give these commands as well, so that they may be above reproach.  And whoever does not provide for relatives, and especially for family members, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.  Let a widow be put on the list if she is not less than sixty years old and has been married only once; she must be well attested for her good works, as one who has brought up children, shown hospitality, washed the saints’ feet, helped the afflicted, and devoted herself to doing good in every way. But refuse to put younger widows on the list; for when their sensual desires alienate them from Christ, they want to marry,  and so they incur condemnation for having violated their first pledge.  Besides that, they learn to be idle, gadding about from house to house; and they are not merely idle, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not say.  So I would have younger widows marry, bear children, and manage their households, so as to give the adversary no occasion to revile us.  For some have already turned away to follow Satan.  If any believing woman has relatives who are really widows, let her assist them; let the church not be burdened, so that it can assist those who are real widows.

Reflection

Well, according to this checklist, I’m a real widow.  Not a club I chose to join: my husband died of pancreatic cancer in 2016. I’m over 60 years old, have been married only once, and have done most of the good works that Paul lists.  I’m fortunate to have children and grandchildren who care about me, and a wider family too.  It hasn’t crossed my mind to remarry although, I must admit, it gets a bit lonely sometimes.  But my life is busy, I don’t have money worries and I volunteer for all sorts of things.

Who are Paul’s real widows today? Perhaps people who lose their life partner at a point when they are also needy themselves: like the couple who can still manage their lives together when one of them has physical health problems and the other has dementia, but it all falls apart when the first one dies.

In Paul’s time the Church would be providing financial or material support for widows who had no one else to help them.  The story of Ruth and Naomi illustrates the difficulties faced by women on their own and the need to be dependent on male relatives, and the obligation on communities to care for them.  Today in the UK we expect the welfare state to provide but many people struggle on benefits and in negotiating the complexities of the benefit system.  What we don’t expect is to prove our worthiness for benefits in terms of good living: it’s right that the system is not discriminating.

Many churches open their doors any day of the week to provide a safe welcoming space for anyone: relationships build up to help with loneliness and give people a purpose in life.  Doors are opened and we hope and pray that we are making a difference in our local communities.

Prayer 

Lord Jesus, we pray for all who are struggling with bereavement.
Help us to be sensitive to people’s needs for support, love and care and a purpose in life.
Amen