In our scripture readings for today, we continue with Paul's first letter to Timothy, who is serving as the bishop of Ephesus. And in this second part of the letter, Paul stresses the importance of looking after family, and to consider fellow church members like family members. But Paul also puts qualifications on helping, qualifications we often ignore in our rush to help everyone. Based on our emphasis, you would think Jesus came to make sure ends meet, instead of coming to make sure we can meet him in the end....
One of my first experiences with the Provost Ministerial came when Pastor Andy Wiebe of the Community Church called me up – he wanted some additional muscle with him...OK, height, not muscle... as he was dealing with a particularly aggressive client. We went out and told the client that we were cutting him off from all ministerial support, because he was behaving in a threatening manner to the church's secretary. The client was upset, and he shouted at us, “You're Christians, you're SUPPOSED to help me.” About a decade later, I got a call from the RCMP. There was a hitch-hiker heading east hanging around the Esso station - hungry, no money, and it was getting late in the November evening. This guy had been well coached. He pulled a well-worn business card out from his wallet and handed it to me, it read “Jesus Loves You.” And this golden ticket for assistance worked once again; I got him some Subway and drove him to the next destination, the motel in Macklin, paid for by the ministerial. Most people have already figured out that the best thing to do when asking a pastor for help is to inquire when the worship service time is on Sunday. And I've already figured out that the chances of a client showing up to church, are very close to zero....
In chapter 5 of this letter, Paul turns to the topic of family. And he begins by instructing Timothy to react to the members of his churches as he would react to family members – to older men and women as fathers and mothers, and to younger men and women as brothers and sisters. And he links provision for the family as a key teaching for the Christian faith, stating that someone who does not help out relatives in need, is worse than an unbeliever. From this, the church from its earliest days, developed a ministry of assisting widows who were members, because of course, there was no massive program run by the government to do the same thing. The church took on the role of supportive family, for those members who did not have one any longer.
We, too, are called to provide for the urgent needs of family members, AND church members. But before we start signing blank cheques, it is instructive to look at the restrictions Paul places on assistance for widows. First, “if a widow has children or grandchildren, they should make some repayment to their parents, for this is pleasing in God's sight.” If assistance can come in the form of payback for assistance received in the past, that should come first. Second, Paul says, “the real widow continues in supplications and prayers night and day.” If assistance can come in the form of recognition for devotion to God, and prayer for the community, that should come second. Third, to be given assistance, a widow “must be well attested for her good works, as one who has brought up children, shown hospitality, washed the saints' feet, helped the afflicted, and devoted herself to doing good in every way.” If assistance can come in the form of recognition for being a prior asset to the community, that should come third. And if instead, the widows spend their time as idle busybodies, maybe their attitude should change before assistance is given.
As a volunteer with the Provost Ministerial Food Bank struggling with compassion fatigue, this chapter raises some uncomfortable questions for me. Since the food bank is run by the Provost Ministerial, by definition the food bank is run “in Jesus' name.” And that begs the question, when you look at what the food bank is doing....what's in it for Jesus? Does it bring Jesus glory to send us month after month, assisting people who have alienated themselves from family and church, have no relationship with God, and have not been an asset to the community for years? Do those receiving assistance understand the role Jesus plays in us operating a food bank? Hint: NO! If people truly meet Jesus most often at rock bottom, isn't it cross-purposes to continue to enable pushing rock bottom out another month down the road? Does it make Jesus feel good to help others outside his family, the church, indiscriminately, or does it just make US feel good?