Jesus says to the widow: Do not weep.

“Young man, I tell you, arise!” (Luke 7: 14).

At this command of Jesus, the dead man, the son of the widow of Nain sat up. Jesus was moved to pity for her sorrowful and weeping mother and said to her:  "Do not weep."  (Luke 7: 13).

We rarely hear mention of widows in our modern society.  What happened to the widows?  Widows are permanent landmarks of the Bible: Old and New Testament.  Along with orphans and strangers, they form the trio that enjoy God's preferential privileges.  A few verses on the testimony of the Scriptures:

1.  "You shall not oppress or afflict a resident alien, for you were once aliens residing in the land of Egypt.  You shall not wrong any widow or orphan.  If ever you wrong them and they cry out to me, I will surely listen to their cry."  (Exodus 22: 20 - 22).

2. "For the Lord, your God, is the God of gods, the Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who has no favorites, accepts no bribes,  who executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and loves the resident alien, giving them food and clothing."  (Deuteronomy 10: 17 - 18).

3. "He [Elijah] called out to the Lord: “Lord, my God, will you afflict even the widow with whom I am staying by killing her son?”  (1 Kings 17: 20).

4. "The Lord protects the resident alien, comes to the aid of the orphan and the widow, but thwarts the way of the wicked."  (Psalm 146: 9).

5.  "A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents."  (Mark 12: 42).

We can now see what informed Jesus' heart for the widow and the marginalized of society: the word of God.

"How precious is your mercy, O God!  The children of Adam take refuge in the shadow of your wings."  (Psalm 36: 8).

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