Some of the most agonized questions I hear are from people who are unsure about their obligation to their family members. How do they guide their children in a world where there are so many bad influences? When should they help out relatives in financial trouble? Maybe most poignant of all, what should they do for parents who are aging and cannot live independently?
The First Letter of Timothy helps us with some of these questions. The key clue is where it says that church members should be above reproach. That verse reminds us that the Bible was written in an era that the anthropologists describe as an “honor and shame” culture.” The verse also suggests that we might examine our motives for why we want to help our family members. We may be concerned with what people will think, or what other family members will say, or even our own feelings of guilt. If we can disregard the imagined audience for our behavior, we can be free to make the best decisions about what to do for our families.
In our sermon this Sunday, we will look at the First Letter to Timothy and discuss The Family Obligation.