PROPER ADMINISTRATION July 26, 2020

The Word we received today in the first epistle of the apostle Paul to Timothy, chapter 5, is something that strikes at the very basic element of administering any group of people--whether they be in the family, the church, the community, the workplace or school—human behavior and motivations.  And the reminders we read here are none more applicable than in our times now, when people have grown fatigued from all the fear of the pandemic, many have chosen their own means of escape—whether that be by popular entertainment, viewing and reposting old pictures of happier times before the pandemic struck, doing new hobbies, immersing in social media, making do with new forms of livelihood, or just plain uncaring anymore in following the mandated health and safety protocols.

I must admit, the longer this drags on, the more we are exposed as a tribe of humanity, what stuff we are made of.  Organically, we are made of the same chemical and natural elements as the rest of creation, but emotionally and spiritually, we should be made of something stronger and more durable:  what we call the human spirit, that is a part of the Spirit of GOD, and that gives us wisdom to conduct ourselves properly, think well and logically, and speak or communicate in a manner that ensures our person and our future.

The chapter started with something basic in all human interactions: respect, whether they be for elders or young men, widows—whether old or young--and young women.  It seems that some efforts our government is making in trying to restore the subject on Good Manners and Right Conduct in schools is showing that the seams of society are broken, that people are losing respect of each other, losing good manners and behaving wrongly towards other people, that we need to harken back to the days where children fear the stick and the spank and would immediately give respect and obeisance to those in authority and age.  It is a double-edged sword though, because demanding respect from a “Woke” generation who is acutely aware of the faults of its Elders demands that the previous generation should reform their ways and learn to respect others too.  In short, respect begets respect, and we get this reiterated from the epistle.

Then the epistle moved on to the care of elders, particularly widows, and how one must be able to provide the needs of one’s own household to the best of their ability, not just financially, but even emotionally, mentally and spiritually.  Maybe life is too short and time is too limited to be perfect or to excel in any one area, but at the very least, one should be able to balance earning a living with spending quality time with family—immediate, nuclear, and extended—because nobody exists and came to this world by their own.  And any family or group of people living together is an organization, with each part necessarily giving their work on maintaining it, upholding its good values, and providing for its needs, growth, development, and the achievement of its worthwhile goals and objectives.

The apostle also talked about something controversial about women, that is, those who do not fill their days with worthwhile endeavors and think that their validity comes from emotional and intimate relationships with the other sex.  Of course, in the generation the church is in today, this could very well apply to the male population.  Many of us often make fun of spinsters and widows who go through the rest of life alone, deride them for being ill-tempered, spendthrift cougars, even if they are just honestly earning a living and trying to do their best to survive independently.  And yet we too easily condemn women who remain abused in toxic relationships.  Meanwhile, many of us do not say anything against men who remain eternal bachelors, with some even secretly amused and tolerant if there is any hint that their sexuality is otherwise than what they had been born with.  Maybe it is time we open our minds and accept that GOD ordained some people to get married and be yoked with somebody else, while there are indeed BLESSED people who struggle mightily through the rest of their days alone and unaided by the opposite sex.  We all have burdens to bear, and instead of insulting or shame-facing others for the lack of companionship we see in their lives, maybe we should stop with the envy, and just focus on surviving, staying healthy and safe, making sure we remain sane and steadfast in our faith and endure whatever curve balls life throws our way.

Then there is a part where the church is reminded to also not forget about those who work for the ministry and support them not just with prayers but with their material and financial needs, which is actually done when we are faithful with our giving of our tithes and offerings. 

The second to the last part of the chapter talks about the Apostle Paul’s reminder to young Timothy (or maybe he is not so young this time anymore, or the constant persecutions and sufferings he has encountered in the ministry have taken their toll on his physical body) how to conduct and take care of himself, so that he remains strong and able to continue with his work.

The last part of the chapter though, is something that is a bit cryptic but nonetheless true, and one that resonates to our time today.  Verses 24 and 25 say, “Some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.  Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid.”  In our world today, we have seen many who tried to start out well and conduct themselves properly, only to have them do a character meltdown when faced with pressure, stress, tragedy, loss of livelihood and attention, or erosion in credibility.   They get their true characters exposed, and often, we see something undesirable.  Likewise there are many people who are predictable, because how we see them react to one situation, what they say and do, will almost always remain consistent when another adverse situation comes up.  Similarly, no matter how good the cover-up and connections may be for people who do evil and corrupt deeds, they will always be found out.  No matter how high the horse one might ride and call judgment or criticism on people they consider lower than them, there is always a comeuppance.  And we see them accelerating fast during this pandemic season.

I believe that before things get worse (because they could very well be, as they say in Murphy’s Law), now is the time we need to get our motivations right, and keep in mind the values we need to uphold to make sure we come out of this alive and whole.  We need to seriously start properly administering how we conduct ourselves, how we manage our own families, and how we interact with others, to make sure that whatever happens, we are still the person we are and we need to be, to receive the greater things our Lord has planned and has in store for us.