1 Timothy 5:1-2

Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.

Teaching is an important part of ministry as we saw in the previous passage.  However, another important part of ministry or a different aspect of teaching is encouraging.  All believers on this side of eternity require confrontation and correction of sin.  However, we also need to be given hope and be encouraged in the Lord.  Churches are made up of a wide variety of ages as well as men and women.  The wise minister will understand how to distinguish between how they will serve these different groups most effectively.

ENCOURAGING MEN:  Timothy is a young man but was called to minister to older men.  As a minister of God’s Word, he has the authority to teach God’s Word and to exhort these older men.  However, this must be done with the proper respect and honor.  Rebuking an older man will, very likely, not produce the desired results.  Rather, older men should be treated as a father with a focus on encouraging them in the Lord.  That does not mean that sin should be ignored; it means that sin should be dealt with in the grace of God.

ENCOURAGING YOUNG MEN: There were also men in the church who were younger than Timothy.  Just because they were younger, it was not a reason to be able to lord over them as a minister.  The minister must exercise patience when serving these younger men and treat them like brothers in Christ.  They represent future leadership within the church and their qualities must be fanned into flame through honest encouragement.  It is easy for young men to become discouraged if we are constantly being critical. 

ENCOURAGING WOMEN: Like the older men, the older women are to be treated with the tenderness and care demonstrated to a mother.  These ladies have tremendous importance within the body of Christ.  They have the potential to be prayer warriors, train up the next generation of mothers, and serve the body with wisdom and grace.  Timothy was not to ignore them or discourage them.  The wise minister will look for ways to encourage these precious saints in ministry.

ENCOURAGING LADIES:  Perhaps the most difficult group for Timothy to serve were the younger women.  These ladies would have been close to Timothy in age.  It is always necessary to be sensitive to potential romantic feeling that could arouse in this type of relationship.  Paul exhorted Timothy to be sure to exercise all purity when ministering to these ladies.  In fact, this is one of the most important areas of ministry for the women in the church to minister to the ladies in ways that it would be difficult or even inappropriate for a young man like Timothy to minister.  A male minister must be faithful to treat these younger ladies as their sisters in Christ.

APPLICATION:  Look for ways to encourage the people around us through both word and actions.  Take into account the ages and genders and be sensitive to the implications of these factors.  Love the people God has placed around us like members of our family.  

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