“Lord Give Us Discerning Hearts To Determine And Help Those Who Are In Real Need!”

“Lord Give Us Discerning Hearts To Determine And Help Those Who Are In Real Need!”
In one big congregation where I was minister we received some foreign aid for widows. When I brought the widows together I told them that some were better off and need not to benefit from that token gift of just three thousand francs per person. Those better off widows almost ate me alife.
You see, a man was sitting right in church with his wife when the pastor asked for all widows to come forward. The woman left her seat and as she was about to go forward, the husband reminded her, “Madam, I’m your husband sitting right here by you.” The woman retorted, “Am I not worst than a widow?”
Yes, there are some married women who are worst than widows!
Paul told Timothy a young minister, “Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. But if a widow has children or grand children, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family…”
Then he went further to state that on the humanitarian scheme, ” No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality…helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.” He adds further that “If any woman who is a believer has widows, she should help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need”(I Tim.5:3-16).
In fact, the other day I saw some people receiving humanitarian benefits as Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and I was wondering to myself whether those people actually deserved such benefits. We need to help widows but we should know that there are many widows better off than married women, and like the woman in our story there are some wives whose husbands are alive but who are worst than widows!
Weekend Prayer: Lord give us discerning spirits and hearts that are just for us to be able to know those who deserve humanitarian assistance especially in this crisis period. Amen!
Have a blessed weekend! Peace be with you!