God’s family
Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with all purity. 1 Timothy 5:1 & 2
How do you talk to people? Is it the same way no matter who it is or does it depend on who you are talking to? Today’s scripture addresses talking with older and younger people. It says we shouldn’t be harsh or impatient but to talk to them as you would your own parents. Likewise, younger in the same way you would your brother or sister.
Many times we judge a person by their age. Either they are young and inexperienced or old and out of touch. The truth is, that doesn’t matter on either side. To conduct yourself toward others as God would have you is to be honorable and respectful no matter what age. Paul and Timothy’s relationship is a clear example of this type of behavior. Paul speaks to Timothy in these letters as his coach and even though Timothy is much younger than Paul, you can hear the love as he instructs Timothy. Paul is the elder, but Timothy is learning from him with reverence and respect.
Of course this is the same example we are to follow today. The reason is because we are a family. God’s family. We are brothers and sisters in the Lord. The elders are like spiritual parents to us and younger are our spiritual siblings. We learn from our parents and we encourage our siblings. This is one of the reasons it is difficult for the body of believers to come into agreement, because we do not recognize that we are a family. Yes, we say we are a child of God, but we are not the only child of God. It’s time to wake up to the realization that we are no longer the child of God, we are the family of God and begin to love and cooperate the way a family does. Think what it would be like if God’s family came together in agreement on His plans and each person took their place and did their part in the family. What a different church we would be.
Today I want to encourage you to love those who are older and younger than you. Give them the love and honor you would have others give to you. Then begin to encourage those around you to recognize that we are the family of God. We are one unit in Christ Jesus. When we became born again, we were born into God’s family. Now that we have grown up in His family, our job is to bring others in, to love and encourage our brothers and sisters, and learn from our mothers and fathers.
Today’s scripture reading: 1 Timothy 5:1-16
The Daily Dose 