- May we follow Paul’s example, cherishing and celebrating older men or women who have spent their lives in faithful service to God and others.
In a recent discipleship group meeting, as we were reading in 1 Timothy, one of the guys pointed out a verse on “widows” and commented, “Man, that is a perfect picture of the abundant life…a life well-lived.” It was. It is!
Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been the wife of one husband, and having a reputation for good works: if she has brought up children, has shown hospitality, has washed the feet of the saints, has cared for the afflicted, and has devoted herself to every good work. (1 Timothy 5:9-10)
First, “Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age.” Let’s start right here – there is something about growing older that ought to be seen as abundant. Six decades of experiencing and expressing God’s grace is nothing to sneeze at. I am reminded of an interchange between Lucy and Aslan in C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia:
“Aslan,” said Lucy, “you’re bigger.”
“That is because you are older, little one,” answered he.
“Not because you are?”
“I am not. But every year you grow, you will find me bigger.”
One of the benefits of a long, well-lived live is a “bigger” God.
Next, Paul identifies the widow as the “wife of one husband.” Social science research shows that marital fidelity to one spouse over a lifetime usually contributes to a better life. More happiness, better sex, more accumulated wealth, deeper spirituality. There is abundance in marital fidelity over serial polygamy. Though the Old Testament contains instances of multiple men with multiple wives, the chaos that ensues under that model only proves the point.
Paul says that the widows should have “a reputation for good works.” Jesus told his disciples, “Let your light shine that they might see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Good works make us more satisfied people, emulate Jesus, help the less fortunate, and bring meaning and purpose to our lives. The happiest people in the world tend to be those who live not for themselves, but for others.
Paul mentions women who have “brought up children.” Parenting takes sacrifice, self-giving love, and a merciful heart. It removes the attention from oneself and places it on others. This is true of both physical and spiritual offspring. Women who have denied themselves and taken up the cross of raising kids – well, it shows in their character and conduct.
The women Paul lauds to Timothy have “shown hospitality.” When someone needed a meal, a bed, or a loving touch, these women opened their hearts and homes. In the pastoral epistles, hospitality is cited as a major characteristic of godly leadership. It takes selflessness, turns one’s attention radically to the well-being of others, and always costs something. But the expense – whether in time, money, or self-sacrifice – invariably pales in comparison to the fulfillment of imitating Christ by showing preference for others. I found the Lord in a house church where the aforementioned meals, bed, and loving touch were abundantly offered to all comers—rich or poor, from this side of town or that. That love radically changed my life.
Paul’s picture of the good life describes widows who have “washed the feet of the saints” and “cared for the afflicted.” Washing feet accelerates spiritual growth. It requires the exercise of humility and servanthood in a way that imitates Jesus. John Wesley contended that caring for the afflicted is not a minor aspect of the Christian life but an essential means of grace. Simply, there is grace in our lives that God can do only when we are engaged in offering the compassion of Christ to a hurting world.
Paul ends his abundant-life-in-a-nutshell listing with the widow who “has devoted herself to every good work.” “Good work(s)” appears twice in this commemoration of a live well-lived. Having done recent research for a book on good works, I can attest that it is rare to find congregations and individuals dedicated to ongoing outreach to the least and the lost. And yet how much we miss of our Lord’s blessings when we neglect to be regular in these outpourings of care and compassion!
Through the years, my understanding has changed about what comprises a truly impressive life. My high school alma mater in Great Bend, Kansas, has a Hall of Fame which names at least one inductee every year. So far that list has included Jack Kilby, inventor of the microchip, and Skip Yowell, founder of Jansport. There was a guy who piloted Air Force One, a gold medalist in the Olympic Games, another fellow who earned a Super Bowl ring. Military heroes, millionaires, business owners. It’s quite impressive! Other high schools have undoubtedly produced similarly distinguished alums but my town would have never have noticed how rich a legacy we have until we started taking serious notice.
But you know who will never be named to that Hall? Aunt Aleta and Grandma Zoth. The first is my great aunt, the latter my cherished childhood babysitter. Both were widows who were awe-inspiring, at least to me. They reflected the Beatitudes of Jesus and the Fruit of the Spirit of Paul. They lived lives faithful to their families, arms wide open to human need, women of extraordinarily good and unsung and quiet works.
Women such as these are the ones Paul honored in the above verses as he commended their care to the church. May we follow his example, cherishing and celebrating older men or women who have spent their lives in faithful service to God and others. If it doesn’t happen now, it will assuredly do so when they meet their Maker face-to-face and hear His matchless “Well done!”
Matt Friedeman
