Widows and Orphans: a devotion on family

From an Africa Study Bible touch point:

Instead of sacrifices and offerings, God wanted His people to do good by caring for orphans, widows, and people who were oppressed. In this way, they showed that their hearts truly followed after God’s heart. All through the Bible, God required His people to show love and concern for orphans and widows just as He did (Exodus 22:22; Psalms 68:6; 146:9). In the New Testament, James stated that caring for widows and orphans is a sign of true faith (James 1:27). 

When a child loses his or her parents in Congolese communities, all the parents in the community, the mbongi, assume responsibility for that child. The word mbongi means the place where all of the families gather around the fire in the evening. It can also refer to a village or the village council. Orphans are to be cared for, protected, and fed by the parents of the mbongi. It is simply wrong for people to mistreat or neglect an orphan. 

Today the church can be and should be an mbongi for widows, orphans, and the oppressed. The church should provide for the spiritual and physical needs of people who are in need. It is our larger family that should care for those who have been abandoned or who have lost loved ones.

Today:

Do you know an orphan or widow in your community personally? What have you done to help them? What can you do to be mbongi to them? Talk to your spouse or family and decide on one thing you can do to care for the needs of just one person. Then let God help understand what He would have you do next.