The Bible says in Malachi 3:1-5:
“Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts” (Malchi 3:5, ESV)
Do we think of the Widows and Fatherless very often? Sometimes, we act as if they no longer exist; especially as they once did.
Many times, today, a widow would prefer to move on with life. We encourage them to find new love, new jobs, and become self-sufficient. While the modern widow must be able to adapt to their changed situation, the transition to becoming a widow or widower reminds us that neither husbands nor wives are not to be self-sufficient. Supporting the widows teaches us the true meaning of the two becoming one.
We don’t see the fatherless as much either, because we, through our record keeping, can find who the parents are–and assign responsibility there. But, we have children abandoned to Grandparents and single parents. These children need not to be oppressed but supported as they grow and develop.
When the churches seek to reach out to this group of people, it teaches the rest of the world the very fact that we need each other. We are also reminded that it was God who said that it is not good not man to be alone. (Genesis 2:18)
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This post is a fresh rewriting on a post titled “Widows and Orphans” from December 2007.
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