³Take care of widows who are destitute. Care for people who have no one else caring for them. Obviously, these are not only widows, but everybody who are in need in one way or another.

This command is for all of us.

My dad died when I was in Grade 8. This was so unexpected and provision for my mom and six children was not really as it should’ve been. We had to buy a house, because the next pastor and his family needed to move into the rectory. Mercifully, my mom got us a nice house, but she really wanted to convert one of the garages into a living room.

A builder heard about this. What a surprise when all the building material for the conversion was offloaded at our house! And my mother never received a bill for it. Nobody knew who was responsible for this good deed.

I experienced what it was like when a builder really cared for a widow.

But this does not only concern distant widows and orphans: ⁴If a widow has family members to take care of her, let them learn that religion begins at their own doorstep and that they should pay back with gratitude some of what they have received. This pleases God immensely.

And obviously, our parents and grandparents shouldn’t first have to lose a spouse for us children to spend time and energy on them. I’m often astounded by how much parents do for their children. They sacrifice their lives. They will do without just to give their children everything. The worst thing is that many children think this is how it should be. Privileges become rights and when they finally leave home, they forget all that their parents have done for them.

Children must respect their parents and make an effort with them. Many parents give all their time and attention to the children for a long time, and then when the children leave home, mom and dad find that they actually have nothing in common anymore, or anything to say to one another. That is traumatic and it will take a lot of hard work to get to know and enjoy one another again.

I know it’s a struggle to keep going. There’s so much that has to be done every day. We don’t even have time for ourselves. But we will have to make time for our parents. I would like to say they deserve it. It’s time for us to give and for them to receive.

In that way our children will see what it is to serve. They will see what it means to be a real child of God. And God? He likes it when we care. For our parents, for the widows and the orphans. It is God’s will and calling for our lives: Care for your parents. It’s their time now. We must spoil them.

And if your parents are no longer alive, find children who do not care for their parents. Become a caring child for those parents.

Scripture
1 Timothy 5:1-8

Reflection
Do you spend enough time with your parents?
What do you have to do differently?
Can you reach out to someone else’s parents?

Prayer
Father, my love for You is made visible when I love my parents and show them how grateful I am for everything they’ve done for me. Please remind me to make time for them, because that is what You expect of me. Amen.