Widows and Orphans

James 1:27 “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

There are many other verses in regards to widows and orphans in the Bible, but this one is my favourite. From the Old Testament God had set it up for the widows and orphans to be taken care of with giving a double portion to the oldest son as an inheritance. He was to take care of any widowed or unmarried sisters and anyone else in the family who was in need (orphans in the family). I’m sure we all had jealous thoughts when reading how the oldest son received a double portion, why is he so special, so favoured. Well it appears great blessing comes great responsibility. It was actually a neat set up if you think about, people in need would be taken care of.

However, the Old Testament also shows great exploitation with this. Sad really, how God has something designed that would work so well, only to be taken advantage of by us humans.

 I believe orphans are at the most disadvantage in the world really. They have no parents, no way to make money, usually forgotten, helpless because of their age and ability, and their brains are not fully formed yet. If there was anyone in need in our world it is the orphan.

However it is the widow I most struggled with. Being single I saw that I could be in that exact same spot in later life (if I never got married), I just would have never had a spouse. Since I thought I could be in that exact same spot I thought about how capable I am (okay perhaps I will not be as capable when I’m in my eighty’s) and that I would figure things out much like I do today. I also saw my Grandma who was widowed at age 82 and how capable she was.

But then I realized yes she was capable but how I just did things for her just for doing and not because she was a widow. Her and my Great-Aunt (they were sister-in-laws to each other) were both widows and both very capable women but yet I would give them rides to special events because neither were driving anymore. They were not distressed in my mind, just neither could drive anymore. I remember when my niece was born and I came and told my Grandma and she wanted to go there right away once I picked up my Great-aunt (I was going to take them to church for a special event, but things changed). I went to the hospital with two ladies who were in their ninety’s. It was kind of cute actually and it made their day getting to see and hold my niece.

I remember my Dad going out to my Grandma’s on a regular basis to help. He helped with everything from taxes to bills to maintenance around the house. Yes my Grandma was a very capable women but she still needed help in some of these things.

It was one year ago she passed. I went to see her the day before she passed (she passed away at just after midnight the next day) and how I sat on her bed and held her hand for a couple or so hours. She was in distress. I saw it then. But those other times when she was in distress, I just did for her and did not see it as such.

It was my Grandma who showed me helping widows in their distress took on a whole different meaning. 

As for my Great-Aunt, she fell down and is in the hospital now. My sister and I came with my Mom and brought our kids to show off and meet the new additions. I believe it made my Great-Aunt’s day. She got to meet my nephew and my daughter, two babies that my Grandma missed out on. One child who was once orphaned made the day of a widow. Now that is a statement for sure.