Making Room for Widows and Orphans

Scripture Reading: Psalm 68:4-6, John 14:15-18, Isaiah 1:17, 1 Timothy 5:3-16, James 1:27

Throughout the Bible, the Lord shows His particular care for two groups of people often overlooked and disadvantaged—widows and orphans. In biblical times, women and children were dependent on their families to provide them with security, sustenance, and protection. If a woman found herself widowed, she was at the mercy of family members to take care of her until she was able to remarry. If her age or circumstances did not allow her to find another husband, she was often viewed as a burden to her family and community for the rest of her life. Similarly, children who were left fatherless were at the mercy of their extended family and community. In some cases, families made room for these orphans and raised them as their own. In more tragic cases, orphans were treated as second-class—abused, neglected, and exploited.

Sadly, in the thousands of years that have followed, not much has changed. There are an estimated 258 million widows around the world (United Nations) and an estimated 153 million children worldwide who are orphans (UNICEF). 

The Lord does more than simply acknowledge the difficulties and longings of widows and orphans; He defends their cause. He acts as their champion, and He commits Himself to the work of establishing them in healthy families and communities where they can be known, loved, protected, and valued (Psalm 68:4–6). As His people, we are called to generously care for and show hospitality to widows and orphans. This must go deeper than a simple awareness of the orphan and widow—as the family of God, we must make room for those without the support and protection of family. 

The act of making room will look different for each of us, depending on the needs around us and how the Holy Spirit leads us to help. For some, it may look like financially supporting a non-profit actively caring for widows and orphans in another part of the world. It may mean serving foster care families in our local community or becoming a foster or adoptive parent. Maybe for some of us, we can show our hospitality by cooking a meal for the single mom with young kids who lives in our neighborhood. Or maybe, for some of us, our next step is to advocate for the needs and rights of orphans in our local governments.

There are so many ways we can prayerfully care for and show hospitality to widows and orphans in our world. The key though is to do something—to actively champion the cause of people that God fiercely loves and protects. After all, our religion is not fully made by the songs we sing on Sundays or the box we check when someone asks us what our faith is or even the scriptures we can recite from memory. “Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress” (James 1:27).

Written by Nicole Smithee