We hope you enjoy this re-post from January 6, 2015. Be blessed! The Today’s Quote From God Team

If anyone fails to provide for his relatives, and especially for those of his own family, he has disowned the faith [by failing to accompany it with fruits] and is worse than an unbeliever [who performs his obligation in these matters]. – 1 Timothy 5:8, Amplified Bible (AMP)

Shortly after 6 pm Eastern Time (U.S.A) on January 2, 2015, tragedy struck the Gutzler family of Nashville, Illinois. The Gutzlers, flying home in the family’s Piper PA-34 plane from a vacation in Key West, Florida, crashed in Western, Kentucky. The crash killed all on board, except for 7-year Sailor Gutzler. News reports from various outlets* confirm that, after attempting to wake her deceased father, mother, older sister, and older cousin, Sailor trekked approximately three-quarters of a mile (1.207 kilometers) from the crash site to the home of 71-year-old Larry Wilkins.

Before leaving the crash site, Sailor unsuccessfully attempted to light a damp stick with the fire still emanating from the downed plane. Then, with no light, she ventured into the woods, dressed only in a t-shirt, a pair of shorts, and one sock. Her wrist was broken. It was 38 degrees Fahrenheit (3.33 degrees Celsisus) and misting. And, the woods were filled with hazards – downed trees, sharp thorns, creeks, and coyotes, just to name a few. Yet roughly 40 minutes after the crash, Sailor arrived at the doorstep of Mr. Wilkins, bloodied and cold, yet saved from great harm.

Of the reports I have reviewed about this tragedy, many cited the remarkable presence of mind with which Sailor addressed her situation. One of those reports, however, gave credit where credit was due: Sailor’s father. Marty Gutzler was a licensed commercial pilot and flight instructor, and he had equipped his family with basic survival instructions in case of a plane crash. With this basic training – and most definitely with the merciful hand of God –  Sailor was able to survive.

God (through Paul) teaches us in 1 Timothy 5:8 that we have an obligation to provide for our families. Certainly, providing for our families includes financial provision, which the context of 1 Timothy 5:8 focuses on. However, “providing” refers to much more than just financial provision. The Greek word “provide” in 1 Timothy 5:8 is “pronoeo” (pron-o-eh’-o), which means:

1. to perceive before, foresee
2. to provide, think of beforehand
3. to provide for one
4. to take thought for, care for a thing

Providing for one’s loved ones, therefore, includes foreseeing and thinking about the future needs of those loved ones, and then taking the necessary steps now to provide for those future needs. That’s exactly what Marty Gutzler did for his loved ones, and may God gives us all similar foresight for the needs of our own.

* Links to various news reports

• CNN
• FOX
• ABC 

** If you’d like to donate to Sailor’s future financial needs, please visit the family’s website, sailorgutzlerfund.com.