1st Timothy 5:1-2. “Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; the elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters with all purity.” RESPECT TO ALL. Neither age nor gender, nor the station one holds, Should affect the respect I have and what I owe To those in my life who know me well – My interest, or lack thereof, is easy to tell.
One who leads in holy things won’t find it hard to sense The respect I have or its lack at his expense. Though he won’t likely demand I obey his every whim – He will trust and help me when I trust and respect him.
Friends my own age will put me to the test To see if I care for them as brothers, or if I'm just like one of the rest Those who consider them a threat and will try to put them down – I must give them my respect and honor their just renown.
Some older sisters have a great deal to give – For they have learned much in the lives they have lived. It is right for me to give heed to the things they say, And acknowledge their wisdom and honor to them pay.
Younger women have the right to be trusted with dignity. The words and actions toward them must be with purity. Undue familiarity can be viewed as disrespect – And anything I might say after that, they will soon reject.
The attitude of believers toward each other is important. Respect is not just a word we use; it is seen in my deportment. Every person deserves to be seen by me through Christ-like eyes. My reputation and as a child of God often in this area lies.
“Gracious Father, Thy children all have some family characteristics. Help me to look for these rather than focus on the differences between us. I know I am not like all my brothers and sisters, and the potential is there to criticize them. I do see a family resemblance in each one. I know I should show respect to saved and unsaved both, lest there be an uncrossable barrier there that hinders my effectiveness as Thy servant. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.”
Christian families are expected to be self-supporting. The care of widows, orphans, and strangers was practiced by God's people in the Old Testament and is continued in the New Testament. In New Testament times, men were put to death more often than women because of their faith and their public furtherance of the Gospel. Widows indeed were those without human support. They not only lost their husbands but also had no family to help them or maintain them. Widows who have children and grandchildren are to be cared for by their family by nature. There is financial, emotional, and physical support that helpless people need. Families have the first obligation to such needy people. The church cares for those who are desolate and alone, but not just as an act of charity. They are to be respected for who they are and what they do. Encouragement, assistance, and money are ways in which we show our fellowship and appreciation for them.