The misapplication of Scripture to rationalize a modern form of injustice was put on public display last week. Historians of race and religion have carefully documented how slave owners often selectively quoted passages in the New Testament about slavery to justify the dehumanizing practice of slavery. We are rejoicing that we will be able to care for orphans and widows as well.Those in positions of power have a history of using the bible to justify injustice in this country. They will not spend months or even years fending for themselves. The orphaned children will be admitted into the Food for the Hungry programs with little to no gap between losing their parent.There will be a transfer of trust as the child watches the social worker and parent forming a relationship.The orphaned children will not go one day without knowing there is an adult who cares for them and is advocating for them after their parent dies.In an environment where children of parents with HIV/AIDS are outcasts, these widows desire to know that someone will watch over their children.They need to hear about the peace and comfort of our Savior through the social workers and Zeway church members. These dying men and women need care and love.
Here are some of the reasons why this is a desirable opportunity: God is allowing us to support the social workers and the Zeway Church body so that they can care for these dying mothers and fathers. Single parents who are dying of HIV/AIDS and who will not be there to parent their children within the year will now be a part of the Partnership outreach. We are rejoicing that God is allowing us to expand our care circle to include widows. He is not allowing our susceptibleness to be overwhelmed by the suffering to single out just orphans in the Zeway Partnership. We all have God-given passions and talents, and we are finite beings in our time and ability to care, so singling out one group of people to care for is how we manage in this flesh.īut God is not going to allow our inability to care for both widows and orphans to limit His work. We do believe, however, that focusing on this one group, orphans, is not just justified, but right thinking. Now we have justified this because the needs are so great, how can one ministry tackle the global orphan crisis AND widows in their distress? It is overwhelming enough to take in the numbers of one group of "the least of these" let alone to add widows as well.
We've moved forward to care for the orphan, but what about the widow? How can we use James 1:27 so diligently as the backbone of our ministry when we have chosen one vulnerable people group, but not the other? We are to visit and care for orphans AND widows. There are orphans ministries and non-profits all over the country that have sprung up in the past 5 years toting 1:27 on their banners.Īnd yet, there is a piece of it that seems like we've missed.
James 1:27īridges of Grace has used the command in James 1:27 as a foundation for their ministry. Pure and undefiled religion is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.