I Timothy 5:1-8

The first verse of this section does not necessarily speak of those called elders who pastor a church body. However, we are to use special respect to these. Paul is writing to those who are younger who find fault with an older man in the church. Timothy who for many years was Paul's understudy would carry on with Paul now an older man who would be stepping out of the picture. When I was young, (now 74) I found it very healthy to be around older brothers who knew a lot about the Word of God and learn from them. Being saved at the age of 21, I didn't know much yet, so it was spiritually healthy to be around them. Younger men who think they know a lot tend to be a little arrogant.Next,Timothy, a younger man was to treat the older women as mothers. Again when I was younger this seemed very valuable to me. The rest of our scriptures for today are about the way widows were cared for in the church. In our modern society we have lost some of this because of Social Security etc. The government has sort of replaced the church in its duty.If a man with any kind of means had a widowed mother the church was not to be burdened, but he was to take her into his home and she was to be cared for. These verses end up with a sharp rebuke if a man failed to do so.