Reneging on a Promise

1 Timothy 5-Part 3
The younger widows should not be on the list, because their physical desires will overpower their devotion to Christ and they will want to remarry. Then they would be guilty of breaking their previous pledge. And if they are on the list, they will learn to be lazy and will spend their time gossiping from house to house, meddling in other people's business and talking about things they shouldn't. So I advise these younger widows to marry again, have children, and take care of their own homes. Then the enemy will not be able to say anything against them. For I am afraid that some of them have already gone astray and now follow Satan.
1 Timothy 5:11-15 New Living Translation


LET IT GLOW

Have you ever known a person who reneged on a pledge or promise? What does that mean? They made a promise and backed out on it, did not keep it. Paul is warning Timothy that young widows have this tendency. In order to be on the widow's list getting assistance from the church, the young widow would take a pledge, make a specific covenant, promising to devote the rest of her life in service to the church and the Lord. At their time of need and bereavement, they were sincere, but later on they would renege.
(MacArthur Bible Commentary)

These younger widows had a tendency to remarry, even an unbeliever. Therefore, Paul is encouraging Timothy to not put them on the widow's list, thus reneging on their promise. He encourages these to marry and have children, and be keepers of  their home. Raise up children to live for God.


LET IT GROW


Other tendencies of young widows is found in verse 13:
-lazy (idle),
-gosipping (tattlers) from house to house,
-meddling in other people's business (busybodies, prying into things that don't concern them),
-talking about things they shouldn't.

Actually, we don't have to be a widow to do these things, do we? Anythough Paul is talking about young widows, I need to make sure that I am not doing these things, too. Am I putting a stop to those who gossip, are busybodies, talk about things that are none of their business, prying into others' affairs? Is it true what they are saying? Have they asked that person about this?

Warren Wiersbe said in his book Be Faithful:

While there are times when a Christian wife and mother have to work outside the home, it must not destroy her ministry in the home. The wife who works simply to get luxuries may discover too late that she has lost some necessities. It may be all right to have what money can buy if you do not lose what money cannot buy.


In verse 16, Paul says believers should take care of their widowed relatives so the church can care for those who have no one to take care of them.
Our previous lesson discusses the requirements for such widows which the church shoud support.


 LET IT GO

Even though I'm not a widow, make sure I don't gossip hurting another's reputation; that I'm not a busybody, prying into another's business that's none of my business.