Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also busybodies who talk nonsense, saying things they ought not to.
Summary: This passage, at first glance, sounds like an offhand comment about bad behavior. Digging deeper, we find an existential threat beneath the surface.
Our last meditation on 1 Timothy 12, “Serious Stuff,” emphasized the spiritual risk of turning our back on Jesus. In this verse, Paul talks about something that seems insignificant by comparison. In verse fourteen, he counsels young widows to do things that “give the enemy no opportunity for slander.” Finally, in verse fifteen, he notes that some have turned to follow Satan.
There is a trajectory in Paul’s words. It goes something like this:
1. A “young widow” is left alone without a husband to support her.
2. She asks the church to provide her with the money she needs.
3. If the church doesn’t follow Paul’s age limit, they might agree to support her.
4. Freed from worry over money, the widow neglects her devotion to Jesus and turns to pastimes that interest her.
5. These pastimes lead to sinful behavior — the outward expression of her inward lack of devotion to Christ.
6. In some cases, some women turn away to follow Satan.
Let’s ask ourselves some questions.
First, does this fit our own personal experience? Have you ever known someone who, when in desperate need, makes all kinds of promises, and then, when the need is met, discovers they really don’t “need” to keep those promises?
Second, if we know people who have done the very things Paul is warning about, is it such a stretch of the imagination to think that some people might go so far as to follow Satan instead of Jesus?
If you have answered “Yes” to these two questions, then Paul’s warning of falling under judgment (v 12) makes complete sense.
Interestingly, Paul’s concern about people being “idlers” and “busybodies” might not be limited to the widows we have been discussing.
What happens when idlers and busybodies stir up people in the congregation? Do they serve the Kingdom of God, or are they undermining it?
Timothy is responsible for guiding the Ephesian church in Paul’s absence. Can he afford to have people stirring up trouble in the congregation?
In his letter to Titus, Paul talks about the need to “rebuke” the Cretans “sharply” (Titus 1:10-16). The goal of such rebuke is “so that they will be sound in the faith” (v 13).
Could it be that the reason for Paul’s “Widow’s List” is also about keeping the congregation “sound in the faith?”
Application: Keeping faith with Jesus requires diligence.
Food for Thought: In Acts 20:29, Paul warns the Ephesians that “savage wolves” will be after the flock. Compare a wayward widow to a savage wolf.
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