I instantly thought of the time in Matthew when the Pharisees got together and tried to trick Jesus into choosing the greatest commandment.
"Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:34-40
If we follow Jesus' teachings the rest of what we 'should' do should fall into line. Unfortunately we can get busy, blind, or complacent. We can easily slip and become more like the Pharisees picking and choosing the call on our Christian life turning our backs or passing by precious faces.
As Christians we are expected (by God) to care for the oppressed, orphaned, poor and widowed. Look at the following passages with me:
"Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow." Isaiah 1:17
"And if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday." Isaiah 58:10
"This is what the LORD says: Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place." Jeremiah 22:3
"Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 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." James 1:26-27
If you do a keyword search on your bible software (or www.biblegateway.com) for widow, orphan, oppressed or fatherless dozens of passages pop up from the beginning of the Bible to the end. They describe a loving Father hearing them, a Just God looking out for and defending them, a Thoughtful Creator making a way for them and a call for us to care for them as His arms. If we really mean that we want to be Christlike we have to take up their cause. I don't know how you could read those Scriptures and conclude that it is someone else's call.
Now, before you check out on me and click on someone else's blog...hear me out! I am not suggesting that everyone needs to pack up their belongings and move to Africa to run an orphanage, or start a widow support group in your home on Tues. nights, or go completely off your rocker and open your home adopting twins! (Although it would be pretty cool if you did :) But, I AM suggesting that if you aren't actively supporting adoption, widows, oppressed or the poor, you should!
Whew! That was hard. I am not exactly a finger pointer. Sorry if that made you uncomfortable, but don't take my word for it or accept a feeling of condemnation....grab your Bible and read it for yourself and wait for a healthy dose of conviction.
A good friend of mine has set up an adoption support ministry. She has devoted her life and her heart to the cause of the fatherless. She put together this video for her latest seminar. Please take a moment and look at the real faces of children God dearly loves and has a plan and purpose for. Look at the families that have answered His call in a big way. Ask yourself, is God calling me to do the same?
It's okay if God isn't calling you to adopt, but it would be hard to convince me that He is calling you to inaction. I ask you to pray about what He is calling you to do.
My daddy's favorite t-shirt was plain black and it said in white letters:
"FEED THE CHILDREN"
He supported that ministry with his whole heart and wore that shirt almost everyday until he died. It can be that simple.
Links to explore:
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