Be Still And Know

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, m