Part 2 of 3: The Bible doesn’t call out widows and orphans because they were sad. It calls them out because the system already decided they didn’t matter.
Costs me time and discomfort to show up for a friend who is very isolated and struggles with food insecurity and mental and physical health. Your writings are really widening how I think about Micah 6:8, thank you!
What you're describing, showing up consistently for one isolated, struggling person, is exactly what the prophets were talking about. It's harder and more costly than people realize. Thank you for doing it.
“[Orphans and widows were] shorthand for anyone who lacks a human advocate and is therefore exposed to exploitation by people with more power…. Who fills that category today?”
Yes! Love this insight and the question you then ask (for it presses me to not just study Scripture, but also discern how to live it out today). Thanks for penning this Harvey!
In my opinion, when church leadership has for so long depended on their salaries being paid by membership, a culture of wanting to keep the church viable can lead to focusing on those “sharp people” who have the most to offer materially to promote church growth. There has been a fear of actually living among those widows & orphans. At least that has been what I have witnessed & experienced.
So good Harvey. Thank you. Our fellowships have been content to “do charity” for the most part. Rarely will brothers & sisters be actually residing among the poor.
Writing a check, setting up a holiday benevolence activity (all good things), but not, I believe, the only things the prophets & Jesus were calling God’s people to do. Being transactional is not being relational. And our God is relational. Unfortunately Western Christians, for the most part, have chosen comfort & safety over living among those who need our love in action most.
I keep coming back to the incarnation as the model. God didn't send a resource, he showed up in person. That's a much harder ask than most of our benevolence programs are willing to make of us. As for me, I choose to do it God's way.
Costs me time and discomfort to show up for a friend who is very isolated and struggles with food insecurity and mental and physical health. Your writings are really widening how I think about Micah 6:8, thank you!
What you're describing, showing up consistently for one isolated, struggling person, is exactly what the prophets were talking about. It's harder and more costly than people realize. Thank you for doing it.
“[Orphans and widows were] shorthand for anyone who lacks a human advocate and is therefore exposed to exploitation by people with more power…. Who fills that category today?”
Yes! Love this insight and the question you then ask (for it presses me to not just study Scripture, but also discern how to live it out today). Thanks for penning this Harvey!
In my opinion, when church leadership has for so long depended on their salaries being paid by membership, a culture of wanting to keep the church viable can lead to focusing on those “sharp people” who have the most to offer materially to promote church growth. There has been a fear of actually living among those widows & orphans. At least that has been what I have witnessed & experienced.
So good Harvey. Thank you. Our fellowships have been content to “do charity” for the most part. Rarely will brothers & sisters be actually residing among the poor.
Writing a check, setting up a holiday benevolence activity (all good things), but not, I believe, the only things the prophets & Jesus were calling God’s people to do. Being transactional is not being relational. And our God is relational. Unfortunately Western Christians, for the most part, have chosen comfort & safety over living among those who need our love in action most.
I keep coming back to the incarnation as the model. God didn't send a resource, he showed up in person. That's a much harder ask than most of our benevolence programs are willing to make of us. As for me, I choose to do it God's way.