DECEMBER 22 – Reading 356

by Albert Rosado | December 22

“R-E-S-P-E-C-T”
(1 Timothy 4:1 – 6:21)

“Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.“ – 1 Timothy 5:17

My mother turned 88 years old this year. In my 51 years being alive, I’ve only known my mother to be a Christian. In my younger years, I remember seeing her praying in the early morning and late nights. Being very active in church and always sharing the goodness of Christ. Going to Bellevue Hospital to pray for the sick was her passion. Being able to raise me in the fear of the Lord was a priority. Now, she’s in the beginning stages of dementia, and the mom I once knew,  has completely changed. She looks old, she walks slowly and is very thin. Has forgotten her birth date and many other important dates.

Now that she’s in her last years of life, the job of my brother’s and myself is to honor her. Letting her know that her life was a conduit for me to find Christ. Showing respect to this old woman is a commandment by God, and I choose to honor God, by honoring my mom.

Imagine Paul, an older and wiser leader, writing a letter to Timothy, a young church leader. Paul needed to make sure Timothy knew how important it was to respect the older, more experienced people in the church family.

Paul’s words are very clear: those who faithfully serve as elders, the older, mature leaders in the church, deserve not just respect, but “double honor.”

What does this “double honor” mean? It’s a message that covers both how you feel about them and what you do for them.

• It means to think highly of them in your heart and when you talk about them.
• It means to listen to their wisdom, which comes from many years of following God.
• In the Bible’s time, it also meant giving them money or help if they gave their whole lives to working for God, especially preaching and teaching.

This command shows how much God values lifelong commitment. He doesn’t set aside His faithful helpers when they get old; He tells the younger people to see and honor the good that came from their many years of serving Him.

An elder’s life is like a living lesson. They have gone through hard times, won battles, and stayed focused on Christ. Their wisdom is like a helpful map showing us how to keep going until the end.

When we honor them, we are honoring God’s faithfulness that worked through their lives. We are also keeping the church in good order, making sure that being mature and serving well are seen as very important.

Don’t see them as old-fashioned; see them as a link connecting the strong faith of the past to the hope of the future. By showing them respect, we learn how to finish our own life journey well.

Simple Truth: Showing honor to the mature, faithful leaders in the church is obeying God and helps us gain wisdom for our own lives.

Reflections:

• Do you sometimes ignore the advice of an older person just because they are older? Why might you do that?

   

• What are two simple ways you can show honor to the older leaders or people in your life this week?

   

Application:

• Ask and Listen: Find an elder this week and ask them to share a time when they saw God work in a powerful way. Just listen to their story.

   

• Speak Kindly: Decide to speak respectfully and nicely about your church’s elder leaders, remembering their long service and hard work.

   

• Pray for Strength: Pray specifically for the elders in your church, asking God to give them strength, wisdom, and peace as they keep on leading.

   

Closing Prayer:
Father in Heaven, thank You for giving us experienced people, the elders who lead, teach, and guide us. Please forgive us for the times we have not shown them the honor they deserve. Help us to see the great value in their wisdom and their years of faithful service. Give us humble hearts and a desire to support them, so that Your church can be strong and live in a way that pleases You. In Jesus’s Name, Amen.