QT 5 Jul 16, 1 Tim 5:16, Our view of liberty is actually selfishness

I Tim 5:16 (ESV) If any believing woman has relatives who are widows, let her care for them. Let the church not be burdened, so that it may care for those who are truly widows

NOTE: This is a very different way of thought than exists in our culture today. In our selfishness, we expect or demand the government to take care of our relatives. We don't want to be burdened. And the real reason is that it will take away money that we can spend upon ourselves. But Paul argues that we have a responsibility to provide for our relatives and to relieve others of the burden, especially the church. Bellah, in his book, Habits of the Heart, says that our view of freedom is encapsulated as “I want to do what I want to do when I want to do it. No one better tell me otherwise.” It is this misconstrued view of liberty that will never build the community that Jesus desires. And we can't even take care of our own family. Because it is all about me. God forgive us for our selfishness. Help me to recognize in my own life where I care more about myself and what I can get that about others around me.