Family is “my” responsibility!

1 Timothy 5: ³ Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. ⁴ But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God.

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⁷ Give the people these instructions, so that no one may be open to blame. ⁸ Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

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Crash was the sound that came from the kitchen. When we all went back there to see what happened we found my sister with one foot through the old floorboards of grandma’s house. Once grandma washed my gym shoes and dried them on the hot tin roof melting them in the process.

Later my parents saw the house was no longer adequate for grandma to live in. They bought a house in the state they live in and paid to take care of her on a fixed income. As their money began to dry up, it was now up to me to step in, so I bought grandma’s new house down the street from my parents.

• In many countries it is an abomination to “throw away” older people.
• In other countries people expect to take care of their parents so they plan for it.
• In this country it’s alright to focus on money and less on caring for the family.

My parents taught me an important lesson “family is my responsibility.” This is a tremendous responsibility indeed. Not everyone has the resources to fully pay for the care of their parents, their family and their children’s family, BUT GOD wants me somewhere in the mix trying to take care of them.

• If I don’t have the money to take care of my parents then time is better than money.
• If I don’t live in the same state then a phone call or letter or e-mail will suffice.
• If my relationship wasn’t great with my parents then mending it now is better than waiting until they die.

I have seen my family get into scuffles over taxes, money and visitation, but what is GOD telling me to do?

• GOD wants me to serve my wife and kids.
• GOD wants me to serve my parents in their twilight years.
• GOD wants me to serve my siblings whenever they are in need.
• GOD wants me to help other families in my community.

Preparation for caring for others is very important so I need to think about it today.

• Are you prepared to take care of your parents?
• Can you get past any problems you had with them and follow what GOD says to do?
• When is the last time you have spoken to your parents to ask them how they are doing?