October 20: Of Honesty and Personal Responsibility

Jeremiah 35:1-36:32

1 Timothy 5:1-25

Psalm 89:14-37

Proverbs 25:25-27

"But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God." - 1 Tim 5:4

"Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." - 1 Tim 5:8

"As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list.  For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry." "So I counsel younger widows to marry..." - 1 Tim 5:11, 14

The church in Ephesus was getting larger, and Paul had asked Timothy supervise the affairs of the growing church while he was away.   One would think Paul would instruct Timothy to make sure the church cared for all its weakest members, but in today's reading he advises against supporting some of the widows.  Why?  Is Paul encouraging selfishness?  Why deny the community's support of younger widows, or widows who have children?  Reflection leads me to two possible reasons: honesty and personal responsibility.

Honesty is tough these days.  People insist feelings override fact, that wanting it makes it right, and if someone opposes your "truth" they must be a hater.  Personal responsibility is also difficult.  One of the most frequently recurring themes I hear is it is someone else's fault, and they need to fix it; they pass the buck to community - the government, the church, someone else.  

Paul had no time for that nonsense.  In words that today would cause some to take offense, he refused young widows and widows with children and grandchildren the church's help.  He pointed out the likelihood that younger widows would want to remarry, and that the idleness that support would afford, coupled with their relative youth, would lead to trouble.  He also pointed out the obligation of children and grandchildren of the latter to support their widowed mother in her time of need.  He inflicted honesty, and preached personal responsibility.  

Why were these more important to Paul than charity in these instances?  I think it's because honesty and personal responsibility are critical not just for our relationship with each other, but they are essential for our relationship with God.  I think it is because our relationship with God should be the foundation for everything we are and everything we do, and for that relationship to grow, I think it needs to be rooted in an honest understanding of who we are and Who He is, and I think it requires we take personal responsibility for watering and nourishing it - with prayer, scripture…and with acts of charity. 

Father, it is tough enough that our sinful desires make us want to distort, even deny the truth of who we are and Who You are.  It is even harder when the world encourages us to do so, indeed demands that we do so.  Protect us from the world and from our own sinfulness; keep our eyes open to Your truth, and give us the desire to nurture our relationship with You.