Passage Read: 1 Timothy 5-6
Meditation Verses: 5:6-7
Thought
While I'm sure Paul is talking about all these instructions regarding widows, the preceding statement has application for all people: Anyone who lives for pleasure is dead even while they live! Those who are truly in need have a natural encouragement to pray to God and ask for help; that's good for all of us, but not likely to leave us open to blame if we fail to pray but rather work to supply our need. However, living for pleasure does leave us open to blame because a pursuit of pleasure leads us to places and activities where a believer should not go. It's not that we can't do anything fun here and there, but that a life oriented around a pursuit of pleasure is a destructive one. Rather, a widow worthy of honor and support of the church is one known for her good deeds. That points to the purpose and goals of anyone who desires to be honored by the Lord: We should live to please Him with deeds appropriate for our place and station in life. Every believer should have as a central life purpose to be pleasing to God by their godly deeds--and better to find joy in that than in a life lived for whatever men call pleasurable, which truly leads to destruction.
Application
It's fine for me to do fun things here and there, but to live for pleasure means I'm already dead. As a believer, I'm to live for God and His glory, and He is glorified by my knowing Him and doing what pleases Him. The idea that living for Jesus can't be fun or can't contain joyful activity is itself wrong! He should always be first in my thoughts, as I go through my day, and in everything I do, I should be sure I do as pleases Him and only what brings Him honor. If my work or my entertainment offend Him, I shouldn't participate in it, but should find other things to do, things that He can honor. If I don't live for His pleasure, then I am not alive, I have not been raised with Christ, I'm still dead in my sins and trespasses. Paul means that to be a sobering thought to me, and it should wake me up! My day must not be "pleasure first," but "God first and godliness at all times."