1 Timothy 5:5-6 (KJV)
Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.
But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.
A key to understanding verse six is the conjunction “but.” It signals that the person in this verse contrasts with the one in the previous verse. A “letter of the law” interpretation of the passage would see it as a guideline for determining which widows should be supported and which ones we may consider no longer under our obligation. Gill suggests there must have been widows at the time of this writing who were the opposite of “widows indeed”:
- They were not desolate or alone.
- They did not trust in God.
- They did not continue in supplications and prayers night and day.
If this was true two thousand years ago, it is even more so today.
“Living in pleasure” indicates more than just living comfortably. No one can fault a person for living comfortably if they are able, but this phrase implies perhaps living beyond their means—a serious issue in our economy, where many rely on credit to sustain a lifestyle they cannot afford.
As for the phrase, “dead while she liveth,” Barnes writes, “Nothing could convey more forcibly the idea that true happiness is not to be found in the pleasures of sense. There is nothing in them that answers the purposes of life. They are not the objects for which life was given, and as to the great and proper designs of existence, such persons might as well be dead.”
The widow indeed is of great service to the Lord and His work, as she dedicates herself to supplications not only for herself but also for her church (remember, the passage is in the context of the local church). She is no burden to the work of the Lord but is, in every sense, a contributor to its vitality through prayer. On the other hand, the one who seeks more than is within her means—and likely only prays for that—is of little value to the house of God (I didn’t say it; God’s Word did).
The “letter of the law” application of the passage applies specifically to widows and our responsibilities toward them. The spiritual application suggests that this principle holds true for any believer. Those whose purpose in life is to increase their standard of living misuse their resources and are as useful to the things of God as those who are buried in the cemetery. We may still love them, cherish their memories, and appreciate who they once were to us, but all of that is in the past.
#BiblicalTruth #WidowsIndeed #FaithfulLiving #SpiritualWisdom #TrustInGod
Faith over Pleasure: How to Trust God in Desolation
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