A Hospitable Widow

1 Timothy 5:9 Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man,
10 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.

INTRODUCTORY THOUGHTS

Today’s passage provides the qualifications for a widow before considering her for financial support by the church. Interestingly, several qualifications are strongly connected to her efforts involving hospitality. Did she lodge strangers? Did she wash the saints’ feet? Did she relieve the afflicted? These questions basically sum up whether or not the lady was “given to hospitality” (Romans 12:13). A woman who had given her life to others was counted worthy of receiving help from others once she was no longer able to support herself. She was to be held in high esteem if she had taken others in when they had no place to go, or washed the feet of other saints when they entered into her home, or relieved those around her who were afflicted.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

(For children): Jesus “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38). All of us should look for opportunities to help other people. The Philippian jailer shows the change of a person who gets saved. He immediately fed Paul and Silas and washed their wounds. Another great example is Dorcas who was full of good works and made coats and garments for widow women.

(For everyone): What can every Christian learn from the qualifications for a widow? How can these qualities teach us to be more personally hospitable? How could we implement some of these things into our own lives?

(For everyone): What are some different examples of ways you could exemplify hospitality? When is the last time you did something for others that would qualify as hospitality?

PRAYER THOUGHTS

Ask God to help you find ways to be hospitable to others.

Ask the Lord to set others before you who will be good examples.

SONG

Be Firm and Be Faithful

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