Family Honor

 I Timothy 5:1 Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity. 3 Honor widows who are truly widows. 4 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. 5 She who is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day, 6 but she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives. 7 Command these things as well, so that they may be without reproach. 8 But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

Family, when it functions properly, is big in our lives, our churches, and our community.  The church is the place where family should express itself more openly, honestly, and lovingly than anywhere else. There are parts of family honor that often fade away in a secular society like ours today.  We won't let anyone else harm or badmouth our family, but often feel free to do so ourselves.  We praise our mothers verbally but neglect their needs as they age.  Paul doesn't stop here, but goes on to describe more fully what this respect looks like widows and then honor by and for the "daddy" of the family, the pastor.  Everyone has responsibilities to one another in the Family of God, and any selfishness detracts from what the family could and should be, a place of honor and respect for one another, and especially for God.