Only Partly Committed?
Paul sets out who may be counted among the widows the church supports: "No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the Lord's people, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds" (1 Timothy 5:9-10).
Then he says this: "As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry. Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also busybodies who talk nonsense, saying things they ought not to. So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander. Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan" (1 Timothy 5:11-15).
Paul's Concern Was Righteousness
Paul is talking specifically about the widows in that setting, and in our culture this is less of a thing. There are certainly widows in need in our day, but there are also widows who are well-off and busy. What Paul is really concerned with is that the widows – and all people, really - remain righteous, and remain committed to a Christian lifestyle.
He wants to be sure that the widows there are people who are doing all kinds of good deeds, showing hospitality and washing people's feet. He wants to be sure that they are avoiding inappropriate and sinful situations which give the enemy a reason to slander them. He wants to make sure they don't turn away and follow Satan, rejecting Christian beliefs and actions.
It isn't only the widows who need that reminder. It's all of us.
Are we living righteous lives by the grace of God? Are we devoted to good deeds, doing all sorts of good and helpful things around our families, at home and at church? Or are we idle, talking nonsense, giving the enemy an opportunity to slander us? Have we actually turned away and begun to follow Satan?
Those are pretty direct words, but I hope you can hear Paul's heart here. As a follower of Jesus you are called to a righteous life - a holy life, a good life - lived in His grace. This follows on strongly from what Paul has said throughout this letter - living carefully, watching your life closely to be sure you aren't drifting away from God but staying connected to Him.
The Saxons and Their Fighting Arms
In the late 700s, Charlemagne, king of the Franks and later Roman Emperor, launched a few military campaigns in Saxony, which is now northern Germany. He wanted to take over the land and to make the people there Christian. Eventually Charlemagne took power and forced all the Saxon warriors to become Christians.
The story goes that they consented on one condition, and that condition would only be known at the time of their baptism. When these warriors were put under the water as a symbol that their old life was dead, they went under - but held their right arms up above the water. These were their fighting arms. They didn't want to commit their fighting arms to Christ.
Leaving aside the fact that forced conversion is wrong, let me ask you this. Have you left something above the water when your old life died? Have you committed to righteousness… mostly? Keeping one part of your life unrighteous?
Where God Is Calling You to Commit
Paul saw how the widows could sometimes not commit to good deeds. They would sometimes hold their lives back from God and fool around in various ways instead.
Maybe God is calling you today to commit to a righteous and holy life. Maybe at home, in your family, there needs to be a deeper commitment to Christ - in prayer, in Bible, in worship, in things you watch, and what you spend your money on.
Maybe your family needs to see in you a person committed to Scripture, to prayer, to church, to worship, to honesty, to integrity.
Maybe at church you are called to good deeds, to chipping in, to praying for the people in your church, to doing something or other as your own way of 'washing feet' around your church community.
If you believe in Christ, then you have the Holy Spirit dwelling within you. This means that with His help, and with a firm faith and connection to Him, you can live a righteous life. Do it! Put the arm down, and let the whole of you go under into His lordship.
Paul's warning to the widows about idleness and slander is a warning to all of us about holding part of our lives back from Christ.