SIXTY YEARS. 1st Timothy 5:9-10 It's not a magic number, but some things are obvious: when a person reaches sixty years old, we often need to call on younger people to step up and bear the yoke that once was so easy for us. We never considered its weight or our lack of strength to carry it to the desired place. But gradually, physical strength retreats with the relentless march of time. Now, a sixty-year-old needs help to bear what once was not a problem for us. It's difficult to admit we need help, so we may not ask if someone can assist.
When there is a list of those who need our help, it is easier for everyone involved to share the wealth and work without fuss. At sixty, a woman will struggle to navigate life alone and even meet her daily obligations. If some aid is provided to her discreetly and without embarrassing questions, she will appreciate beyond words the help she receives. Her reputation stays intact; her sense of worth remains strong. She will diligently focus on her work until she has done all she can. She does what she is able, even if her efforts often go unrecognized, but those she has helped as best she could appreciate her contributions. She has willingly fed those in need, whether young or old. Others needed a place to stay, so she responded to their needs. She deserves to be on the list so she can rest from all her fears.
The number of those who receive support from the assembly has some qualifications to be considered. “Washing feet” means a godly widow helps other believers with the humility, grace, and compassion our Lord Jesus Christ exemplified. Some people may not consider menial tasks to be significant, but they are necessary to meet needs in the lives of God’s people, especially in the lives of those who are chronically sick, invalids, and aged. These saints need and deserve help.