May 31, 2023

My little dog, Coco, is getting old; she turns thirteen this year. She’s still pretty spry despite her age. All she cares about is eating, and even that has slowed down a little. She gets treated with loving care like you would an older woman. We give her a lot of grace. If she wanders too far when looking for a place to do her business, I usher her back towards the house, but when she doesn’t listen, I herd her like rounding up a cow; that’s when she gets a little testy, and growls and barks like she’s talking back; it’s the funniest thing to see.

The older I get, the more I realize how unimportant some material items are. Yes, we need certain things to survive, like food, clothing, and shelter, but more and more, the love of our family becomes what we long for the most. The Bible clarifies how we should treat others but gives specific instructions for how the church must care for the older widowed women who do not have a family. God specifies that the family should care for them, but the church must step in if she doesn’t have a family because he doesn’t want them to worry about their well-being in their latter years.

Honor widows who are truly widows. But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God. 1 Timothy 5:3-4