In a Family Way

1 Tim 5:1 Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, younger as sisters, with all purity.

We often refer to the church as a ‘family.’

There is a good reason for this. The church more closely resembles a family than any other type of social unit.

Or, at least it should.

Among the things Paul encourages Timothy to as a pastor is to treat the church placed in his trust by the Lord as his very own family. Not just any old family – but as his very own.

As such, he is encouraged to build up rather than tear down.

Sometimes it is easier for us to deal with strangers than it is to deal with family members. Friends, likewise. Sometimes we are too hard on strangers – and we may well be too easy with friends. (Or perhaps vice-versa.)

Paul cautions against either condition. These people the Lord has brought to you – He is bringing for a purpose. He is bringing them for your tender loving care. Paul’s direction speaks to the degree of care.

“Timothy, the Lord REALLY cares for these people - they are the sheep of His pasture. Do you?”

And so, in what may seem like a sort of cast-off little grouping of instructions, Paul hands down powerful direction for living with others - and they have everything to do with loving Jesus and expressing His love to whosoever. How important is that?

For me as pastor, or as a church member for that matter, the instruction is to exhort every older man as if every older man was my father.

I have never in my life rebuked my father. I am for my father. The words I reserve for my father are words of exhortation. “You go daddy!” Especially in the areas where my father may fall short, the last thing I desire to do is to cut him down. I would much rather choose words which may build him up.

In the same way, if I had an earthly brother, (which I do not,) I cannot imagine wanting to cut him to pieces with an unfeeling rebuke. No, I would much rather caringly choose words which would encourage – as Jesus would.

Older women, as mothers…younger women, as sisters…the instruction is basically all the same, and with the same heart. This is the heart of Jesus for the FAMILY of God. His family. It’s His way – and He IS the way.

   -  Pastor Bill