Marsha's Musings: More Things I Need to Work On (I Timothy 5:11-16 NKJV)

But refuse the younger widows; for when they have begun to grow wanton against Christ, they desire to marry, having condemnation because they have cast off their first faith. And besides they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not. Therefore I desire that the younger widows marry, bear children, manage the house, give no opportunity to the adversary to speak reproachfully. For some have already turned aside after Satan. If any believing man or woman has widows, let them relieve them, and do not let the church be burdened, that it may relieve those who are really widows. (I Timothy 5:11-16 NKJV)

I don't totally understand this passage.  I don't know what it is that Paul wants Timothy to refuse to let the younger widows do.  Is it join the church membership? Is it some sort of position in the church among the women?  What?  I don't know because the passage is not clear to me.

However, I do see another list of items here that I should be working on in my own life.

1.  Don't cast off your first faith, putting other things first.

2. Don't be idle, wandering about from house to house

3. Don't be a gossip

4. Don't be a busybody

5. Don't be saying things you should not

6. Learn to manage the house well

7. Raise my children

8. Give no opportunity for the enemy to speak reproachfully of me

9. We as family are to take care of the widows of our own family so that the church will not be burdened and can take care of those that are widows without any family.

I must confess that 1-6 need some serious work in my life.  

Number 2, while I don't physically wander from house to house, what about Facebook?  Isn't that the same only in a virtual way?  We wander from person to person, checking out what they have to say and what they are doing and then make comment on it, or say to others....did you read what so and so did or said?  What's the difference between that and going from house to house in this passage?  Goodness.  This doesn't mean I will dump my facebook account since there are so many things tied to it, but I should seriously consider how much time I look at it and what I do with the information I glean from it.

3-4 is easy to fall into especially when there are people in your life who are making life difficult for myself or others of my friends.  Oh, so easy to fall into this and I have to my shame done it even this week!  Lord, watch the door of my lips!