1 Timothy 5:1-25 • Know Godly Women by What They Do

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The three pastoral letters—1 Timothy, Titus, and 2 Timothy—give us women more insight into what it means to adorn ourselves with godliness than most other New Testament writings. Want to know what a godly woman looks like? It’s in there. Want to know what a woman who is not godly looks like? It’s in there as well. In the last article, we looked at how to recognize legalism and the danger it causes to those wanting to be godly. This is post #7 in the 1 Timothy & Titus blog series. In this post, we will look at the value of recognizing godliness by what women do with their lives.

Listen to this post as a similar podcast from Adorn Yourself with Godliness Bible Study covering 1 Timothy and Titus in the New Testament. (11 lessons)

Why Women Serve Jesus

In his three pastoral letters—1 Timothy, Titus, and 2 Timothy—the apostle Paul gave us women more insight into what it means to adorn ourselves with godliness than most other New Testament writings. Want to know what a godly woman looks like? It’s in here. Want to know what a woman who is not godly looks like? It’s in here as well. And we see glimpses of ministry by women to women. We are not left guessing about what our Heavenly Father wants for His daughters.

Luke chapter 8 tells us about a group of women who followed Jesus. Several had been healed by Him and now traveled with Him. The Bible says they also supported the whole group out of their own resources. They were not what we think of today as groupies or camp-followers. They were active contributors to the spread of Jesus’ gospel message. The group of twelve disciples and their master had to eat. The food may have been often provided by those women.

Why did they follow Him? They did it first to be with Him. Their devotion to Him was expressed in a life that reflected Him and was pleasing to Him. Yes! What great examples for us today.

To read more about these women, read the blog, “Luke 8 • Mary Magdalene, Jesus satisfies your heart with FREEDOM.”

What they started continued through the establishment of the New Testament church. We see illustrations of it in 1 Timothy 5:3-16. From those verses, we see several things we can learn and apply to our lives as women.

#1: Godly Women Stay Useful to God As They Grow Old

In my culture, youthfulness is worshiped. Every week, I get advertisements for treatments and surgeries that promise to keep me looking young. Being over 60, I am now in the category of the older woman described in 1 Timothy 5:9. It would be easy to think that my usefulness to God is past.

But this passage in 1 Timothy reminds me that putting our hope in God, having Christ-like behavior, sharing Christ with nonbelievers, and doing good deeds for others has no retirement age.

One day I was reading Psalm 92 and ran across some verses that leaped off the page at me,

The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, “The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.” (Psalm 92:12-15)

Consider the images the psalmist used:

• Palm trees flourished in the desert oases, sending their roots to nearby water sources, and bearing fruit for the weary traveler.
• The cedar of Lebanon was a huge strong tree whose wood gave lasting structure to palaces and temples.
• The righteous still bear fruit in old age, staying fresh and green, and not developing hardened stems over time with fewer leaves, fewer blossoms, and much less fruit.

I’ve read this verse before, and nothing special happened. But this time was different because I am in that “old age” category. For everyone listening who is growing older, this verse is for you. And in reality, it’s for all of us women.

To stay fresh and green means to stay faithful to the Lord and useful to Him in bearing fruit. It is the opposite of developing hardened hearts.

Read more about this in the blog, “2 Timothy Theme • Staying Faithful to God by Choice.” 

With aging can come a feeling of uselessness and hopelessness. The body gets weak. Sometimes it’s the mind that gets weak. That’s a fact.

I thank God for older mentors in my life who did stay fresh and green until death. From them, I learned that:

• Older women adorned with godliness stay tuned to the needs of the women around them—all ages, young to old—and desire to reach them and teach them.
• Older women adorned with godliness approach their Bible study with fresh eyes every day, looking for new things the Lord will be teaching them and thinking how they can share that with someone who needs to know it.
• Older women adorned with godliness stay aware of God’s presence and work in their lives giving them a new song to share with others, not just what He did years ago.

As I am now getting “old” in my 70s, I look around and realize the younger women are leading the ministries and doing most of the teaching. Yes, that is as it should be. Yet, I long to continue having influence and letting Jesus bear fruit through me. It’s mostly through my Bible Studies, blogs, and podcasts now. I desire to adorn myself with godliness and not get hardened, even when I can no longer type or teach. I can always pray.

Older women can still adorn themselves with godliness just as much as any younger person can. Devoting ourselves to God first, expressed in thinking and behavior that reflects Him well, and doing whatever we can to contribute to the needs of others around us.

Godly women stay useful to God as they grow old.

#2: Godly Women Take Care of Their Own

Care for needy family members

In a delightful fiction series set in a town called Mitford, the mayor’s continual campaign slogan is this, “Mitford takes care of its own.” All the decisions of the town council stem from that one principle.

Paul basically said the same thing in 1 Timothy chapter 5. A godly woman takes care of those within her own household or sphere of responsibility. This is what is written,

But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God. … 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. (1 Timothy 5:4,16, ESV)

That makes sense, doesn’t it? There was no Social Security back then, of course. Women who were physically or financially unable to care for themselves were totally dependent on their families to care for them. So why would Paul need to tell the younger women that they should take care of the older ones in their household?

Women back then were similar to women today

When you read the Scriptures, you need to see the women who lived back then as women like we are today. They cooked meals, did laundry, and raised children. They had responsibilities inside and outside of their homes, including home businesses. They experienced hormone fluctuations and menopause. They laughed with their friends, differed with their mates, and cried when a loved one died. I bet they all found ways to use their 20,000 words per day. 

At one time, they were 20-somethings, then 40-somethings, then 60-somethings and more. They wore beads, earrings, and ankle bracelets. Their hair needed to be combed and fixed, and it turned grey as they aged. No doubt, some of them, if not all, had something on their bodies that sagged! They were women like we are.

Read more about the New Testament women in this blog, “New Testament Women • Trust Jesus to satisfy your heart needs.”

They also had the same weaknesses that we have as women. You know very well that we women have a strong tendency to mutter, grumble, whine, and gripe. And our relationships often feel the brunt of our “ungrateful” and “discontented” attitudes. Adult female relationships also experience betrayal, direct verbal assault, jealousy, and backbiting. Adult women acting in these ways toward one another hardly contributes to a desire to care for each other.

Reduce friction in household

A woman adorning herself with godliness will put off those things that cause friction in the household or family. The Bible says to do this instead,

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32)

Kindness, compassion, and forgiveness are godly behaviors. When you are able to do this, then you are free to love those in your household who may not be easily lovable. You choose to love and care for those in your family, extended family, or other because of your devotion to God. You do it out of obedience to Him. Godly women take care of their own.

#3: Godly Women Influence Children for Christ

Bringing up children

In order for an old woman in need to be added to the Ephesian ministry staff and supported financially by the church, they needed to be well known for their good deeds.

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, washing the feet of the Lord’s people, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds. (1 Timothy 5:9-10)

The first example of a good deed is “bringing up children.” I love that! The Holy Spirit spoke through Paul to include this. In our society, we need to be reminded of the value of bringing up children.

Those children can be either her own or those of others. As a girl, I spent a lot of time with a great aunt who invested in me. I learned a lot from her about taking care of the needs of others. She was very generous and always bringing food to someone who was sick. She had no children of her own, but she was a great example for me.

Influencing others’ children

A godly woman influences children for Christ in some capacity. This applies to all of you who are in the child-producing stage of life, those who have raised children already and may be on the next generation of influence, and those who cannot or have not born children. I think of the godly teachers that I know—in the school system and at church.

Our son John had a sixth-grade Sunday School teacher who was devoted to God. As a young woman, she had such a heart for God that it was infectious to our son. By the end of the year, I recognized that same heart for God now in John. He still remembers her influence on him.

Every woman has an opportunity in the family of God to have an influence on children to trust in Jesus Christ and follow Him with their lives. God considers bringing up children to be high on the priority of good deeds. A woman adorned with godliness will be doing whatever she can to influence children for Christ—family, neighbors, church members, or others. The possibilities are endless.

#4: Godly Women Use Their Social Skills to Benefit the Body Of Christ

Using those 20,000 words

God created women to be social. That’s a fact. Women are usually good at building relationships with other women. After all, we have to share those 20,000 words per day with someone!

During the coronavirus pandemic of 2020-2021, I recorded nearly 100 podcasts. For all those months, I was not been able to be with any of my female friends except through online gatherings. No hugs. No sharing lunch together. That had been very hard for all of us. We are social beings. God created us that way.

Since God gave us this gift, He has the right to use it for His purposes. And as we see in 1 Timothy chapter 5, one of His purposes is to care for His people.

Showing hospitality

One of the ways God uses our social skills to care for His people is by showing hospitality. Hospitality is opening up your home to share it with others. Hospitality was essential in the spread of the gospel. It still is something that every one of us can do. Homes were used for house churches back then. Homes are still needed for house churches and small group meetings today.

We can’t all teach effectively. We aren’t all wonderfully effective in evangelism. But practically everyone can share a meal or coffee with guests, host a Bible study, or offer a bed and breakfast to a traveling missionary.

Hospitality is not showing off your decorating skills, though. Your house doesn’t have to be perfectly decorated or have everything in place before you let anyone come over. That’s putting pride before giving anyway. Just relax and do it casually. Count it an honor for God to be able to use your home—even if you just have a studio apartment. Just do it.

Read the blogs, “Acts 9 & 16 • Tabitha and Lydia, Jesus satisfies your heart with COMMUNITY” and “Acts 18 • Priscilla, Jesus satisfies your heart with PURPOSE.”

Serving in the church

God also uses our social skills in serving one another in the local church. Paul called it “washing the feet of the Lord’s people.” That is just a figure of speech for humble service in the church family.

I think of the women who act as hostesses for our women’s brunches. They make a potluck look inviting as they set up tables and arrange the food with care. Then, they clean up the mess afterwards. That is certainly humble service.

Certain women are especially gifted at verbal skills and making newcomers feel welcome. I so appreciate them, especially when I have been the newcomer.

God uses our social skills to help others in trouble. Praise God for our gift of gab and nosiness. Usually, it is through women that needs in the body get known to the church staff. And women are the ones who jump right in and meet the need. Whenever a woman is seriously ill, has a newborn, is shocked by the death of a loved one, or can’t provide food for her family, a dozen other women quickly gather around her taking care of whatever the needs of the moment are. Meals. Childcare. Lodging. Loving on them with God’s love. Godly women use their social skills to benefit the Body of Christ.

Four Applications

From 1 Timothy chapter 5, we can walk away with four applications for sure as we adorn ourselves with godliness.

• Godly women stay useful to God as they grow old. They don’t retire from His service nor should they let themselves grow hardened and self-centered.
• Godly women take care of their own. They do what they can to resolve relationship conflicts with other women in their families and love on them even when those other women are hard to love.
• Godly women influence children for Christ in whatever manner and in whatever settings they are able to do so.
• Godly women use their social skills to benefit the Body of Christ, serving others with humility and respect and taking care of needs that arise whenever possible.

Paul adds at the end of chapter 5,

In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden forever. (1 Timothy 5:25)

Good deeds are obvious or will one day be revealed.

Do What You Can

In Mark chapter 14, Jesus was having dinner with his friends, including Mary and Martha. Martha was serving the whole group, and Mary poured an expensive jar of perfume on Jesus’ feet. Both women were devoted to Him and expressed their devotion in service to Him. Mary was criticized by the disciples for her extravagant waste. Jesus defended her against the unjust criticism and said this,

She has done a beautiful thing to me. … She did what she could. (Mark 14:6,8)

That applies to all of us as women. From a heart that is devoted to our Lord Jesus Christ, we should do what we can for Him. Whatever it is. How we live out our love for Him will be a beautiful thing to Him.

Read the blog, “John 11-12 • Mary and Martha, Jesus satisfies your heart with LOVE.”

That’s plenty to learn from this passage. I love the fact that God made me a woman. I am grateful for all the wonderful women whom God has chosen to place around me. I love that God considered His creation of women with social skills to be a valuable part of His purposes for His people. I hope you are also grateful that God made you a woman as well. Being a woman of God is a dynamite position to have in life!

In the next post, we will see how to be clothed with a godly reputation regarding work and worldly wealth.

Let Jesus satisfy your heart with such love for God that you will want to live a life that pleases Him.

All of the above information is covered in the Adorn Yourself with Godliness Bible Study covering 1 Timothy and Titus in the New Testament.

Other Resources

• Luke 8 • Mary Magdalene, Jesus satisfies your heart with FREEDOM
• New Testament Women • Trust Jesus to satisfy your heart needs
• Acts 9 & 16 • Tabitha and Lydia, Jesus satisfies your heart with COMMUNITY
• Acts 18 • Priscilla, Jesus satisfies your heart with PURPOSE
• John 11-12 • Mary and Martha, Jesus satisfies your heart with LOVE

AI was not used to generate this post.