Honor The Widows In The Church

‘And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.  So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offering for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.” ‘ Luke 21: 1-4 (NKJV)

Consider the widows of the church.  We all know them.  We are even related to some, most probably. Society as a whole seems to slant towards not honoring widows.  They are more likely to be looked down on as being sad, lonely, and simply live day by day.  It is assumed they are of meager means, and that they are beyond usefulness in many cases.  They no longer have a husband, and their children are grown and gone.  What do they have to live for?  None of these thoughts bring honor.

The widows I have known, and know today, are anything but!  Spectacularly strong and resourceful, most widows have learned to make it in life without their men.  That does not mean they don’t miss them, that they are not indeed sometimes lonely.  What they have chosen to do is live.  They don’t sit at home waiting for an opportunity to have a social moment.  They are out there, moving and working among us.  And quite often, their moving and working could put us all to shame.

I think of the widows in my church.  They do not sit idly at home and watch soap operas, longing for the days when they enjoyed romance and companionship.  They don’t bemoan their grown children for living their own lives.  These ladies are full of wisdom and strength,  and because they are Christians, they are full of the love of Christ.  They honor Him, and they show it.

The ladies in my church do so many things for others, that I can get tired just watching them.  Their energy and resilience are amazing to those of us who are younger.  Their years have taught them much, and we should be happy to share in their wisdom and knowledge.  They visit the sick and the home-bound.  They also visit those in nursing homes and rehab facilities.  They have a knack for knowing when and where they are needed, and that is where you will find them.  And though some may be on a fixed budget, they somehow manage to keep giving and sharing despite their limitations.

It is not unusual to discover them in the nursery, or in other children’s classrooms, sowing seeds of laughter and speaking of Jesus.  They mentor those who need them, whether it be a teenager in crisis, or an adult with a broken heart.  They prepare sumptuous meals for those who are ill, or who have lost a loved one.  And there is never a time when you meet them that they don’t speak blessings into your life.

It is time we all stood up and saluted these valiant warriors for Christ.  They are the ones who will pray day and night for a person’s salvation.  They will be at the feet of Jesus for small things, and for big things, for others.  They love, they care, they share.  Oh, and they enjoy laughter and having fun as well! They should be considered our National Treasure.  Widows are women of substance, women of Christ, women of honor, women who live all across our nation, and the world, living, loving, working.

Everyone has a story of a widow in their life.  Would you share your widow story with me, and what impact she may have been in your life?

‘This is what the LORD says:  “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” ‘ Jeremiah 6:16 (NIV)

Blessings!