Viúvas
A Bíblia revela um cuidado especial de Deus pelas viúvas. Ao longo das Escrituras, encontramos mandamentos claros de proteção, justiça e compaixão, refletindo o caráter amoroso do Senhor.
A proteção divina
Deus se apresenta como defensor das viúvas, garantindo que não fiquem desamparadas. Ele acolhe os que sofrem e sustenta os que perderam seu amparo terreno.
Sing to God—praise His Name, || Raise up a highway for Him who is riding in deserts, || In YAH [is] His Name, and exult before Him. Father of the fatherless, and judge of the widows, || [Is] God in His holy habitation.
YHWH is preserving the strangers, || He causes the fatherless and widow to stand, || And He turns the way of the wicked upside down.
For I deliver the afflicted who is crying, || And the fatherless who has no helper. The blessing of the perishing comes on me, || And I cause the heart of the widow to sing.
Justiça e compaixão
A Palavra ordena que seu povo pratique a justiça, protegendo os mais frágeis e defendendo a causa dos necessitados.
Open your mouth, judge righteously, || Both the cause of the poor and needy!"
"Thus spoke YHWH of Hosts, saying, || Judge [with] true judgment, || And do kindness and mercy with one another. And do not oppress widow, and fatherless, || Sojourner, and poor, || And you do not devise the calamity of one another in your heart.
You do not afflict any widow or orphan; if you really afflict him, surely if he cries to Me at all, I certainly hear his cry; and My anger has burned, and I have slain you by the sword, and your wives have been widows, and your sons orphans.
Seek judgment, make the oppressed blessed, || Judge the fatherless, strive [for] the widow.
O chamado da Igreja
No Novo Testamento, o cuidado com as viúvas é expressão genuína da fé cristã. Tiago declara que a religião pura inclui visitar os necessitados.
religion pure and undefiled with the God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their tribulation—to keep himself unspotted from the world.
honor widows who are really widows;