Scripture: You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. Exodus 22:21-22 ESV
Observation: In subsequent chapters of the Book of Exodus, the Lord continues to instruct Moses in greater detail on how to fulfill the Ten Commandments. Chapters 21 and 22 address:
- the humane care of slaves (better understood as indentured servants in ancient times),
- restitution for wrongs committed toward others, and
- social justice parameters.
The above verses focus on three types of vulnerable people regarding social justice: widows, orphans, and sojourners. Much of the Ancient Near East depended on migration, whether due to drought, war, or commerce. And the hardship of poverty, famine, disease, and conflicts left many wives widowed and children orphaned. Thus, Israel’s compassionate God expected his people to remember his redemptive, loving care during a famine (via Joseph) and later bondage (via Moses). And as Israel suffered the loss of lives sojourning to the Promised Land, they also knew the pain of being widowed and orphaned. So God commands his people to set themselves apart from their pagan neighbors by caring for the defenseless among them.
Takeaway: Here, as with all the covenantal laws, the underlying principle is the Golden Rule that Jesus taught during his Sermon on the Mount: “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12 ESV). While the mandate is clear, the application can be cloudy. Does this mean I need to invite sojourners, widows, and orphans into my home and care for them? Perhaps, but we would do well to wait on the lead of the Holy Spirit, for we need not chase after ministry opportunities. Instead, we pray, watch, wait, and flex:
- We pray for our hearts to be open to helping vulnerable people.
- We observe who God brings across our paths.
- We wait and discern whether we are the ones to meet their needs.
- We set aside preconceived notions of how to meet their needs and flex with the Holy Spirit’s lead.
Indeed, loving care can come in a variety of ways:
- prayer,
- hospitality (in the home or on their turf),
- donations to parachurch ministries that support the vulnerable,
- championing their cause through letters to elected officials, or
- simply giving them our time and undivided attention.
The essential element is to uphold their dignity and equip them to carry on with life’s journey resting in the hope of our God who cares for all his children.
Prayer: Father, we thank you that you are a loving and caregiving God who looks after the sojourner, widow, and the fatherless (Psalm 146:9). Would you please help us, as your heart, hands, and feet, to pray, watch, wait, and flex as we follow your Holy Spirit’s lead in caring for the vulnerable? Amen.
Rev. Gordon Green, M.Div., M.A. Counseling
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