QT 20/10/2024 Sun. 1Timothy 5. Loving far away from home? 远离家才能表达爱吗？

QT 20/10/2024 Sun. 1Timothy 5. Loving far away from home??
https://www.esvbible.org/1tim5

“One of the most subtle temptations of the Devil is his suggestion that we can best comply with the demands of duty in some place far away from our home.” (White, Epistles to Timothy, 129).

Caring for others was important to Paul. Owing to the weaknesses of humans, Paul instructed Timothy to ensure that only the REALLY needy received care, because there were loafers who took advantage of the generosity of others.

Those who did not work, idlers, tended to be busybodies and gossips (1Tim 5:13). Paul exhorted them to get busy and do something useful for themselves and others. In addition, those who lead well in the church "are worthy of double honor" (1Tim 5:17).

REFLECTION (1): Have you ever shown "double honor" to anyone? Why or why not? Do you keep quiet when the leaders have done well, but bristle with finger-pointing at the slightest hint of apparent hiccups?

REFLECTION (2) For leaders: Do you lead well, diligently, not sloppily? Do your datelines get postponed often?

REFLECTION (3) For followers: Do you "muzzle the ox while it is trading out the grain" (1Tim 5:18), seeking every opportunity to DENY (muzzle) the elders, leaders and preachers the resources that support directly or indirectly their "preaching and teaching"?

The failure of Christians to care for their own loved ones is a more spotlighted fault than an unbeliever's neglect. Christians are motivated by the example of Christ (John 13:34–35), a motivation absent for the unbeliever. That is why the Christians fail to take care of those closer to them in spite of this motivation boost, the shortfall becomes glaring.

星期日 2024年10月20日 今日读经：提摩太前书5章. 远离家才能表达爱吗？
http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/1Ti/5/

“魔鬼最狡猾的诱惑之一，就是暗示我们在远离家园的某个地方最能满足职责的要求"（怀特：《提摩太书》，第 129 页）。

关怀他人对保罗来说是很重要的。因为人类的弱点，保罗吩咐提摩太要确保只有那真正有需要的穷人得到帮助，因为有一些好吃懒做的人会因着别人的慷慨占他们的便宜。

那些不做工的、懒惰的通常都是好管闲事和好说闲话的(提前5:13)。保罗呼吁他们要做事并为自己和别人做有益的事。另外，那些善于治理教会的“是配受加倍的敬重的”(提前5:17)。

反思(1):你是否曾经给予别人“加倍的敬重”？为什么？当领袖做得好时，你是否沉默不语,但一旦有任何的问题，就立刻把手指指向他们？

反思(2)致领袖们：你是否领导得当、勤劳、不马虎？你的期限是否常常一而再地推迟？

反思(3)致跟随者：你是否在“牛踹谷的时候，笼住它的嘴”(提前5:18),寻找任何机会来堵住(笼住)那些直接或间接支撑长老、领袖和传道在“讲道和教导”的资源？

基督徒不关心照顾自己身边所爱的人，这一缺点比非信徒的忽视更备受关注。基督徒受到基督榜样的激励（约翰福音 13:34-35），而非信徒则没有这种激励。这就是为什么在这种激励下，当基督徒仍未能照顾他们身边所爱的人时，这个缺点就变得更加惹人注目了。