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110. A Widow's Plight


Luke 7:11-17
Key Verse: When the Lord saw her, His heart went out to her and He said, "don't cry."
Luke 7:13

We have no idea who this woman was. Her name is never mentioned. We only know of her desperate situation. With both her son and husband gone, she was alone in the world with no one to support her. She had no other children or grandchildren. We don't know if she had any extended family. With the loss of her son, she probably faced a very bleak future. With no one to provide for her, how would she even get her next meal? Who did she have to care for? Who did she have left to care for her?

Jesus noticed. Jesus cared. He knew the future that she faced. He recognized her reality and He knew that there was something He could do about it. After all, was it not said of Messiah, that He would, "comfort those who mourn, and provide for those who grieve?" (Isaiah 61:2B)

First, Jesus offers comfort. "Don't cry." Then, Jesus acts. He does what needs to be done, which is really quite enough! He acknowledges her grief and then He restores her son to her. That is evidently all that she needed. With her son restored to her, she could continue living and being provided for with his help.

Jesus notices us too. To the world we are part of the unnamed mob, but to God, we are individuals with names and needs and God given purposes. To the world, many of us may appear like the widow, just another person, another consumer of the world's resources. To Jesus, we are a person to care for and part of our assignment from Him is to then also care for others. James, the brother of Jesus says it this way. "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." (James 1:27) Jesus demonstrates for us here what He considers to be a truly religious observance.

"Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows," (Isaiah 53:4A) "Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy." (Ps. 126:5) He knows you and He will carry you. You may not be able to raise the dead, but just as you are cared for by Jesus, so too you must care for others and relieve what burden you can.

Hymn  “Lord Bless and Pity Us”

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