December 19

1 Timothy 1-6
As Paul instructs his protégée, he makes an assumption that isn’t always true.  He tells Timothy to teach others to treat the older people as they would their father and mother.  The assumption is that people treat their parents well.  Unfortunately, this is not always the case.  Many are very disrespectful to their parents.  Instead of honoring and respecting them, some treat their parents as if they were a nuisance to them.  I have seen many adult children treat their parents very shamefully.  It’s as though God’s commands to honor and obey them is only a joke.  For this reason, my wife and I have always had a special ministry to the aged.  We find that many of them are neglected, lonely, and hurt.  The most common causes for these feelings are children who ignore them, reject them, and say horrible things to them when they do take the time to speak to them.  Even more tragic is that many of these families, if you can call them that, are in the church, professing to be faithful Christians!  So, if you feel the need to offer yourselves in a much needed ministry, try looking in on the elderly.  It is extremely rewarding, not to mention, educational!