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- David Schafer: 'Practice Godly Devotion in Our Own Household' (1 Tim. 5:4)
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00:00 Many of us are concerned about how to care well for aging parents, 00:05 not only because of what it says in the quoted portion of today’s text 00:08 but also because of the phrase at the end of 1 Timothy 5:4. 00:13 If you tap the citation at the end of today’s text, 00:16 you get the rest of the verse, namely, 00:18 “for this is acceptable in God’s sight.” 00:23 And that tells us just how important a matter this is. 00:26 Notice the Interlinear rendering. 00:28 The term translated “godly devotion” is literally 00:31 “to be revering well,” which could denote 00:35 being generally virtuous toward anyone. 00:38 And perhaps that’s why a number of translations 00:40 in our list here in JW Library 00:43 simply say “to show piety.” 00:45 Still others, such as The Jerusalem Bible, 00:48 render the term “to do their duty.” 00:51 But honoring our parents 00:53 is more than just our duty toward humans. 00:56 It’s more than just virtue for its own sake. 00:59 The verse itself says, “this is acceptable in God’s sight.” 01:03 So we love our parents, yes. They deserve our care, yes. 01:07 That’s virtuous, of course. 01:09 But principally, we care for our aging parents 01:12 because we revere Jehovah. 01:14 We care about what Jehovah says is right conduct 01:17 toward family members. 01:19 It’s a matter of godly devotion. 01:21 So, what are some of the factors to keep in mind? 01:23 Our commenters have helped us so much. 01:26 The comments point out 01:28 that “exactly how children provide care varies” 01:32 because situations vary. 01:36 But here are four practical things we can do. 01:38 First, communicate. 01:39 Second, determine the real needs. 01:43 Third, have reasonable expectations. 01:48 And fourth, always remember to throw your burden on Jehovah. 01:52 First, turn, please, to Proverbs chapter 15 01:56 and verse 22. 01:59 Communicate, communicate, communicate. 02:02 And what does this result in? 02:04 It says: 02:06 “Plans fail when there is no consultation, 02:11 “but there is accomplishment 02:13 through many advisers.” 02:17 So keep in touch —call, write, email, text, Skype 02:21 —once a week, more often, especially as they age. 02:25 Satisfy their spiritual needs. 02:27 Keep them apprised of what is going on at Bethel 02:30 and the rich treasures you enjoy here in your service. 02:33 Care for their emotional needs by reminding them 02:35 just how valuable they are. 02:38 But regarding their material needs, 02:40 it’s important to ask the right questions. 02:43 It’s easy to conclude they’re doing OK. 02:46 But this is where the many advisors come in. 02:48 Keep in touch with other family members, the local congregation. 02:51 Get the whole story. 02:53 True, the sheer multiplicity of counselors 02:55 doesn’t in itself guarantee accurate data. 02:58 A majority can be wrong. 03:00 That’s why Exodus 23:2 cautions us against just going along with the crowd. 03:05 However, when we’re trying to make important decisions, 03:08 we need to get a clear picture of what’s actually going on in their lives. 03:12 And that leads to our second point: Determine the real needs. 03:15 Notice what it says here in Proverbs 14:15. 03:20 Some parents have made wise provision for their old age 03:23 —pensions, insurance, retirement funds. 03:25 But what if these run out, then what? 03:29 Time to quit? Get a house? 03:32 It’s good that we honor our parents, 03:34 and never would we want to treat them with contempt. 03:36 That’s exactly what Jesus condemned. 03:39 And yet, in some cases, 03:42 we have to think about what it says 03:46 in Proverbs 14:15. 03:48 Notice what it says at the end: 03:50 “The shrewd one ponders each step.” 03:54 Family Happiness, page 176 03:57 raises 11 pertinent questions. 04:00 It says: ‘Suppose . . . your elderly mother is having difficulty living alone 04:04 ‘and you think she might benefit from moving in with you . . . 04:07 ‘You might consider . . . : What are her actual needs? 04:10 ‘Are there private or state-sponsored support services 04:13 ‘that offer an acceptable alternative solution? 04:15 ‘Does she want to move? 04:19 ‘If she does, in what ways will her life be affected? 04:22 ‘Will she have to leave friends behind? 04:25 ‘How might this affect her emotionally? 04:28 ‘Have you talked these things over with her? 04:31 ‘How might such a move affect you, your mate . . . ? 04:34 ‘If your mother needs care, who will provide it? 04:38 ‘Can the responsibility be shared? 04:39 Have you discussed the matter with all those directly involved?’ 04:44 In one of the most touching accounts on this subject, 04:47 John 19:26, 27, 04:51 we read that Jesus 04:54 when he “saw his mother 04:57 “and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother: 05:01 “‘Woman, see! Your son!’ 05:03 “Next he said to the disciple: ‘See! 05:05 “Your mother!’ 05:07 “And from that hour on, 05:09 the disciple took her into his own home.” 05:12 Yes, despite all that was weighing 05:15 on Jesus’ shoulders at that precise moment, 05:17 not to mention the incredible pain he was enduring, 05:21 he took the time to take care of his mother. 05:23 But what did he do? 05:24 Did he summon 12 legions of angels 05:27 and postpone his execution? 05:29 No, he delegated responsibility 05:32 to a relative and not his brothers, 05:36 because they apparently were not yet believers. 05:39 What an amazing example of balancing the real needs 05:44 of all concerned! 05:46 Well, that brings us to our third point: 05:49 Have reasonable expectations of our parents, 05:53 of our relatives, of the congregation. 05:56 First Corinthians 16:14 says: “Let everything you do 06:01 be done with love” —beautiful text. 06:06 Now the responsibility rests primarily 06:09 upon each Christian to care for his own household. 06:12 Children, grandchildren, other close relatives 06:14 display Christian love by providing assistance 06:17 to the elderly and infirm ones according to their needs. 06:20 But congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses 06:23 do not weaken 06:26 this personal responsibility by taking over. 06:30 The Bethel family is really to be commended for the variety of ways 06:34 in which you are shouldering this very heavy responsibility. 06:37 How this must please Jehovah! 06:39 And that leads to our final point: 06:42 Remember to throw your burdens on Jehovah. 06:46 As pointed out in our comments, Jehovah “can bless 06:51 “any Scriptural decision 06:54 and make it work.” 06:57 How encouraging those words are! 06:59 And then it cites Numbers 11:23: 07:03 ‘The hand of Jehovah is not short.’ 07:06 Only our lack of trust in Jehovah 07:10 would limit what he will do for us. 07:13 And although Jehovah can work miracles, 07:16 we don’t expect that we will never have to participate in the solution 07:20 of giving care to our aging parents. 07:22 Why not? 07:23 Because by learning to ‘practice godly devotion in our own households,’ 07:26 we have the opportunity to show the depth 07:30 of our unselfish motives in serving Jehovah, 07:33 and that proves the Devil a liar. 07:35 Nevertheless, notice this encouraging promise 07:38 at Psalm 145:18: 07:43 “Jehovah is near to all those calling on him, 07:47 “to all who call on him in truth. 07:49 “He satisfies the desire of those who fear him; 07:53 “he hears their cry for help, 07:55 and he rescues them.” 07:58 Jehovah helps. 08:00 Maybe you yourself are the instrument 08:03 in Jehovah’s hands to make sure that your parents are well cared for. 08:06 Your work may actually be the expression 08:09 of Jehovah’s love in answer to your parent’s prayers.
00:00 Many of us are concerned about how to care well for aging parents, 00:05 not only because of what it says in the quoted portion of today’s text 00:08 but also because of the phrase at the end of 1 Timothy 5:4. 00:13 If you tap the citation at the end of today’s text, 00:16 you get the rest of the verse, namely, 00:18 “for this is acceptable in God’s sight.” 00:23 And that tells us just how important a matter this is. 00:26 Notice the Interlinear rendering. 00:28 The term translated “godly devotion” is literally 00:31 “to be revering well,” which could denote 00:35 being generally virtuous toward anyone. 00:38 And perhaps that’s why a number of translations 00:40 in our list here in JW Library 00:43 simply say “to show piety.” 00:45 Still others, such as The Jerusalem Bible, 00:48 render the term “to do their duty.” 00:51 But honoring our parents 00:53 is more than just our duty toward humans. 00:56 It’s more than just virtue for its own sake. 00:59 The verse itself says, “this is acceptable in God’s sight.” 01:03 So we love our parents, yes. They deserve our care, yes. 01:07 That’s virtuous, of course. 01:09 But principally, we care for our aging parents 01:12 because we revere Jehovah. 01:14 We care about what Jehovah says is right conduct 01:17 toward family members. 01:19 It’s a matter of godly devotion. 01:21 So, what are some of the factors to keep in mind? 01:23 Our commenters have helped us so much. 01:26 The comments point out 01:28 that “exactly how children provide care varies” 01:32 because situations vary. 01:36 But here are four practical things we can do. 01:38 First, communicate. 01:39 Second, determine the real needs. 01:43 Third, have reasonable expectations. 01:48 And fourth, always remember to throw your burden on Jehovah. 01:52 First, turn, please, to Proverbs chapter 15 01:56 and verse 22. 01:59 Communicate, communicate, communicate. 02:02 And what does this result in? 02:04 It says: 02:06 “Plans fail when there is no consultation, 02:11 “but there is accomplishment 02:13 through many advisers.” 02:17 So keep in touch —call, write, email, text, Skype 02:21 —once a week, more often, especially as they age. 02:25 Satisfy their spiritual needs. 02:27 Keep them apprised of what is going on at Bethel 02:30 and the rich treasures you enjoy here in your service. 02:33 Care for their emotional needs by reminding them 02:35 just how valuable they are. 02:38 But regarding their material needs, 02:40 it’s important to ask the right questions. 02:43 It’s easy to conclude they’re doing OK. 02:46 But this is where the many advisors come in. 02:48 Keep in touch with other family members, the local congregation. 02:51 Get the whole story. 02:53 True, the sheer multiplicity of counselors 02:55 doesn’t in itself guarantee accurate data. 02:58 A majority can be wrong. 03:00 That’s why Exodus 23:2 cautions us against just going along with the crowd. 03:05 However, when we’re trying to make important decisions, 03:08 we need to get a clear picture of what’s actually going on in their lives. 03:12 And that leads to our second point: Determine the real needs. 03:15 Notice what it says here in Proverbs 14:15. 03:20 Some parents have made wise provision for their old age 03:23 —pensions, insurance, retirement funds. 03:25 But what if these run out, then what? 03:29 Time to quit? Get a house? 03:32 It’s good that we honor our parents, 03:34 and never would we want to treat them with contempt. 03:36 That’s exactly what Jesus condemned. 03:39 And yet, in some cases, 03:42 we have to think about what it says 03:46 in Proverbs 14:15. 03:48 Notice what it says at the end: 03:50 “The shrewd one ponders each step.” 03:54 Family Happiness, page 176 03:57 raises 11 pertinent questions. 04:00 It says: ‘Suppose . . . your elderly mother is having difficulty living alone 04:04 ‘and you think she might benefit from moving in with you . . . 04:07 ‘You might consider . . . : What are her actual needs? 04:10 ‘Are there private or state-sponsored support services 04:13 ‘that offer an acceptable alternative solution? 04:15 ‘Does she want to move? 04:19 ‘If she does, in what ways will her life be affected? 04:22 ‘Will she have to leave friends behind? 04:25 ‘How might this affect her emotionally? 04:28 ‘Have you talked these things over with her? 04:31 ‘How might such a move affect you, your mate . . . ? 04:34 ‘If your mother needs care, who will provide it? 04:38 ‘Can the responsibility be shared? 04:39 Have you discussed the matter with all those directly involved?’ 04:44 In one of the most touching accounts on this subject, 04:47 John 19:26, 27, 04:51 we read that Jesus 04:54 when he “saw his mother 04:57 “and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother: 05:01 “‘Woman, see! Your son!’ 05:03 “Next he said to the disciple: ‘See! 05:05 “Your mother!’ 05:07 “And from that hour on, 05:09 the disciple took her into his own home.” 05:12 Yes, despite all that was weighing 05:15 on Jesus’ shoulders at that precise moment, 05:17 not to mention the incredible pain he was enduring, 05:21 he took the time to take care of his mother. 05:23 But what did he do? 05:24 Did he summon 12 legions of angels 05:27 and postpone his execution? 05:29 No, he delegated responsibility 05:32 to a relative and not his brothers, 05:36 because they apparently were not yet believers. 05:39 What an amazing example of balancing the real needs 05:44 of all concerned! 05:46 Well, that brings us to our third point: 05:49 Have reasonable expectations of our parents, 05:53 of our relatives, of the congregation. 05:56 First Corinthians 16:14 says: “Let everything you do 06:01 be done with love” —beautiful text. 06:06 Now the responsibility rests primarily 06:09 upon each Christian to care for his own household. 06:12 Children, grandchildren, other close relatives 06:14 display Christian love by providing assistance 06:17 to the elderly and infirm ones according to their needs. 06:20 But congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses 06:23 do not weaken 06:26 this personal responsibility by taking over. 06:30 The Bethel family is really to be commended for the variety of ways 06:34 in which you are shouldering this very heavy responsibility. 06:37 How this must please Jehovah! 06:39 And that leads to our final point: 06:42 Remember to throw your burdens on Jehovah. 06:46 As pointed out in our comments, Jehovah “can bless 06:51 “any Scriptural decision 06:54 and make it work.” 06:57 How encouraging those words are! 06:59 And then it cites Numbers 11:23: 07:03 ‘The hand of Jehovah is not short.’ 07:06 Only our lack of trust in Jehovah 07:10 would limit what he will do for us. 07:13 And although Jehovah can work miracles, 07:16 we don’t expect that we will never have to participate in the solution 07:20 of giving care to our aging parents. 07:22 Why not? 07:23 Because by learning to ‘practice godly devotion in our own households,’ 07:26 we have the opportunity to show the depth 07:30 of our unselfish motives in serving Jehovah, 07:33 and that proves the Devil a liar. 07:35 Nevertheless, notice this encouraging promise 07:38 at Psalm 145:18: 07:43 “Jehovah is near to all those calling on him, 07:47 “to all who call on him in truth. 07:49 “He satisfies the desire of those who fear him; 07:53 “he hears their cry for help, 07:55 and he rescues them.” 07:58 Jehovah helps. 08:00 Maybe you yourself are the instrument 08:03 in Jehovah’s hands to make sure that your parents are well cared for. 08:06 Your work may actually be the expression 08:09 of Jehovah’s love in answer to your parent’s prayers.
