Be Still and Know Daily Bible Devotion

Available Episodes

5 of 1888

August 13th - 1 Timothy 6:1
1 Timothy 6:1 All slaves should show full respect for their masters so they will not bring shame on the name of God and his teaching. It’s hard for us to imagine what it must have been like when slavery was normal. Between ten and 20 per cent of the population were slaves in Roman times, so it was an issue with which everyone was familiar. Because the members of the Church were largely drawn from the poorer members of society, it is likely that the proportion of Christians who were slaves was much higher. It was vital, therefore, that Paul handled the question of how Christian slaves should act towards their masters, and the fact that he did so in many of his letters shows what a major issue it was. Here, he told slaves to give their masters full respect, whether they were Christians or not. That must have been tough, especially if their masters were unreasonable and cruel. However, Paul knew that if Christian slaves acted aggressively and rudely towards their masters, it would give the faith a bad name. If the slave masters were followers of Christ, this was no excuse for Christian slaves to be disrespectful. Indeed, Paul urged them to work all the harder. Paul’s words are of immense value to us today as we reflect on the relationship between employers and employees. The principles haven’t changed. We must always act towards our employers with wisdom and respect, whether or not they share our Christian faith. For most Christians, their witness to Christ will be most easily seen in the quality of their daily work. The opportunities to declare our faith in words may well be few and far between, but every hour of every day, people are watching our actions and trying to work out what sort of people we are. Let’s pray that the way in which we work today will point people to Jesus, even if we have no opportunity to say a single word. Question What do you learn from Paul’s teaching about slaves and masters? Prayer Loving Father, help me to live so close to you today that other people will be drawn towards you. Amen
--------
3:14
--------
3:14
August 12th - 1 Timothy 5:19-20
1 Timothy 5:19-20 Do not listen to an accusation against an elder unless it is confirmed by two or three witnesses. Those who sin should be reprimanded in front of the whole church; this will serve as a strong warning to others. It is always sad when accusations are made, and it’s particularly tragic when a church leader is the one being accused. However, that’s all a part of being human. I often hear people say things like: “You wouldn’t expect such things to happen in a church.” My question would be: “Why? If a church is made up of sinners, then surely such things are sadly inevitable.” I do not find bad behaviour in any way acceptable. I simply believe that it’s inevitable, and the whole history of the Church indicates that this is true. We should all be extremely disappointed when things go wrong, but at the same time, we should ensure we have effective procedures in place to cope when they do. That was precisely why Paul wrote to Timothy in the way that he did. Paul followed the usual Jewish legal position that an accusation brought by one person was not sufficient. Deuteronomy laid down this principle: “You must not convict anyone of a crime on the testimony of only one witness. The facts of the case must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses” (Deuteronomy 19:15). The reason for this law is clear enough – an individual might lash out in anger in the heat of the moment or because of a personal grudge, so it was vital that other testimonies should be heard. If an elder was found guilty of sinning, Paul urged Timothy to do this publicly. This is uncomfortable, but one can easily see his wisdom. He was eager that such things should never happen again, and that was more likely if everyone knew the facts. There are still accusations flying around in churches, and we should all be deeply sad about that, but we shouldn’t be surprised. The Church isn’t perfect – it’s a hospital for ill people. We need to ensure that our churches have wise procedures in place to cope when things go wrong. Question What do you think is the best way to handle accusations in your church? Prayer Loving Father, grant our church leaders the wisdom and grace of your Holy Spirit to ensure that accusations are always handled in a decisive and healthy way. Amen
--------
3:32
--------
3:32
August 11th - 1 Timothy 5:17-18
1 Timothy 5:17-18 Elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.” And in another place, “Those who work deserve their pay!” As the early Church grew, it inevitably had to face the issue of caring for its leaders. One of the very practical issues was that of pay. Paul had often supported himself through his work as a tent maker, but he had always insisted that it was appropriate for churches to take responsibility for paying for their leaders. Here he refers to the Old Testament law concerning oxen. When the sheaves of corn had been harvested, they would be laid out on the threshing floor and oxen would walk across them, often tethered to a post. The farmer was obviously keen not to lose too much of his crop, but he was commanded not to muzzle the ox. That wasn’t out of kindness to the ox so much as to ensure that he kept working effectively. It was just good common sense. In the same way, when Jesus sent out the 72 on a mission, he said that a worker deserved his pay (Luke 10:7). Paying church leaders is, of course, still a really important issue, and Paul sets out here the principles which should guide such pay. It isn’t possible to know exactly what was in Paul’s mind when he spoke about elders being paid generously, but there can be no doubt that he was declaring the significance of their role, and the importance of them being well looked after. Unfortunately, through the centuries, church leaders have become more famous for struggling to make ends meet. This reflects badly on the whole Church. I don’t believe that church leaders should be paid vast amounts of money, but it is vital that they receive pay which reflects the value of their work. If, like Paul, they are able to fund themselves, that is all well and good, but the church would then have the responsibility of finding other ways to be considerate and generous to their leaders. Question What can you do to ensure that your church leaders are looked after generously? Prayer Loving God, I thank you for the gift of church leaders. Please help me to honour and encourage them, and to ensure that their needs are met. Amen
--------
3:25
--------
3:25
August 10th - 1 Timothy 5:8
1 Timothy 5:8 But those who won’t care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers. In days before the welfare state, caring for relatives could be a massive responsibility, but Paul was clear that it was fundamental to Christian faith. It was usual in his society for families to care for one another, so it was crucial that the Christian Church didn’t lag behind. He could hardly have been stronger in his language. If anyone neglected their family responsibilities, they were worse than an unbeliever. It was unthinkable. Caring for our families is very different today. The state provides a huge range of care and pensions ensure that families are not alone in providing financial support for older people. Even so, the responsibility that families bear is still very great, and we should be grateful for the many charities that seek to help. One of them is Care for the Family, which offers a wide range of support for parenting, marriage and bereavement. However strong our families may be, there are times when we need encouragement, guidance and support from others. Eva Burrows, a former General of the Salvation Army, wrote: “In family life, love is the oil that eases friction, the cement that binds closer together, and the music that brings harmony.” These are great words, and families are a blessing, but that isn’t the whole story. We all know that families can be extremely hard work at times and create some of the most difficult tensions and challenges. That’s why churches need to be communities which actively support family life. We need to be honest with one another, joyfully celebrating the many times of joy and success but equally willing to share the times of brokenness and sadness. For Paul, Christian faith was never simply a matter of believing the right things and worshipping with fellow Christians. It was about living for God amid the storms and challenges of everyday life, and caring for the family was where it needed to begin. Question How has your Christian faith helped your understanding of family life? Prayer Lord God, we thank you for the gift of our families. Help us to love and support them through all the ups and downs of life. Amen
--------
3:34
--------
3:34
August 9th - 1 Timothy 5:1-2
1 Timothy 5:1-2 Never speak harshly to an older man, but appeal to him respectfully as you would to your own father. Talk to younger men as you would to your own brothers. Treat older women as you would your mother, and treat younger women with all purity as you would your own sisters. In recent years, endless investigations have revealed that abuse exists throughout our society. Upon the publication of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse report in 2021, the BBC’s Mark Easton wrote, “There is barely a corner of this country’s institutional, cultural or spiritual life untarnished by the activities of abusers.” Easton noted that wherever the inquiry looked, it found abuse. Tragically, the churches came in for severe criticism, and every Christian denomination has had to take a hard look at itself. Treating people lovingly, graciously and wisely is a responsibility that we all have, but Paul was particularly concerned for his friend Timothy to get this right. Church leaders find themselves in a vulnerable position, so Paul’s advice is of great importance. Many ministries have been destroyed through foolish indiscretions, and Paul was eager that this shouldn’t happen to Timothy. Paul’s advice was fundamentally to encourage Timothy to think of the church as family. If he needed to say some challenging things to older men, he was to imagine that he was talking to his own father. It would be completely inappropriate for him to be strident and harsh, because that would immediately break the relationship and cause hurt. In the same way, he should speak to older women as if they were his own mother. With younger men he was encouraged to have a brotherly relationship and not to rule over them as if he was their boss. Paul urged him to treat younger women like sisters, with absolute purity. Just as you would never take advantage of a sister, so too should women be treated with dignity and respect. These are words of huge wisdom, and if church leaders had lived by them over the years, unnumbered disasters would have been avoided. Question In what way do you find Paul’s advice helpful for your own relationships? Prayer God our Father, help me always to be loving, gracious and wise in my relationships with other people. Amen
--------
3:29
--------
3:29