Caring for the Underdog

      By Fern Horst

"Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the fatherless; nor take a widow's raiment to pledge: But thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee thence: therefore I command thee to do this thing. When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands. When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow. When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow. And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt: therefore I command thee to do this thing." (Deuteronomy 24:17-22)

It is passages like these in Scripture that reveal God's heart of compassion and caring toward those who are less fortunate. The stranger, the fatherless, and the widow are the ones He spells out here, commanding the Israelites to look out for them and to do little things to help relieve their burden.

The reminder God gives to the Israelites is that they were once strangers themselves in a foreign land. Because of their own experience they should understand what it is like to be part of the less fortunate group. In such situations like these, others' acts of kindness become significant, giving not only practical help, but emotional and spiritual encouragement as well.

Just like any group of people, singles find themselves in either category as life's situations change: fortunate and unfortunate. We struggle along financially, spiritually, emotionally, physically, relationally - while at other times we prosper in each of these areas.

What is God's message for us in this passage?

When we find ourselves among the fortunate, we need to remember those who are experiencing difficulties of various kinds. God uses us to communicate His love to those who are struggling. He often brings into our lives those whom He wants us to help in some way. The Holy Spirit gives us nudgings that we need to learn to recognize so that we fulfill God's purpose for us in each situation.

When we find ourselves among the less fortunate, we can be comforted by the fact that God cares deeply about us and about our situation. In fact, He cares so much that throughout Scripture He gives commands to His people to look out for those who find themselves in difficult situations. Unlike some humans, He does not abandon us when things get rough. In fact, it is during those times when He often becomes more real and precious to us.

We serve a wonderful caring God who loves each one of us very much. He has a plan in place to care for our needs and He uses His people as individuals to carry out that plan. It's important that we are obedient to Him, so that another's needs do not go unmet. After all, we'll be grateful when someone else is obedient in carrying out His command to care for us when we find ourselves in less than desirable circumstances.

"Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother: And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart." (Zechariah 7:9, 10)

© 2008 Fern Horst

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