A MUKINGE MODEL

•    “keeping out of trouble” - teaching, construction, and more teaching
•    responsibilities vs. busybody

CONTEXT: KENNEDY’S QUESTION VS. THE WELFARE STATE

•    welfare state unlike 1st century: no social safety net
•    church accepted burden of caring for those truly in need
•    entitlement attitude asks what my country can do for me

PARTY MINDSET AND PERVERTED PRIORITIES

•    deadly to live for pleasure
•    idleness, gossiping, busybodies: neglect important matters
•    too easy for idle pastimes to usurp priority

RESPECT

•    not lording it over or rebuking others, but treating as family: exhort, encourage

RESPONSIBILITY

•    to not provide for relatives is to deny the faith
•    provision more than material: love with whole being
•    caring for own family repays parents, pleases God
•    ecclesiastical order of senior widow presbyters
•    good deeds, bringing up children, hospitable, servanthood, helping, good deeds

RESTORATION

•    how to avoid burnout from responsibility burdens?
•    put hope in God, pray, ask God for help
•    when weak, receive Christ’s power and grace

LET GOD LOVE YOU AND THE ONE IN FRONT OF YOU

•    “Mother Teresa of Africa” Heidi Baker: >10,000 children / 10,000 churches
•    allow Jesus’ love to pour into you
•    love and stop for the one in front of you
•    loving God involves giving time in adoration and in the Word