How can we apply the principle of leaving "some for the widow" today? Setting the Scene • Deuteronomy 24:19: “When you reap the harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, do not go back to get it. It shall be left for the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.” • Leviticus 19:9-10; 23:22 reaffirm the same principle. • Ruth 2 shows the principle in action, spotlighting God’s care for Ruth the Moabitess and for Naomi, a bereaved widow. Timeless Rationale • God built generosity into everyday work, not as after-thought charity. • Leaving margin demonstrated trust that the Lord, not exhaustive harvesting, secured provision. • The widow, the fatherless, and the foreigner represented those with no land, power, or male provider; caring for them reflected God’s own heart (Psalm 68:5). New-Covenant Echoes • James 1:27: “Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” • Acts 6:1-6 records the early church creating a daily distribution so widows were not neglected. • 1 Timothy 5 details orderly, honorable support for widows within households and the church. Practical Applications Today Personal Finances • Build a “gleaning margin” into every budget line rather than giving only what remains. • Automate regular gifts to widows, single mothers, and benevolence funds before discretionary spending begins. • Keep pantry or grocery cards on hand for immediate relief when a widow or struggling single parent appears in daily life. Time and Skills • Set aside a portion of weekly hours for house repairs, yard work, rides to appointments, or technology help for widows. • Share professional expertise—legal, medical, financial—at no charge with women navigating life after loss. Business Practices • Structure hiring or contracting to include widows or single parents where possible. • Offer reduced-rate or pro-bono services to them (e.g., plumbing, auto repair, tutoring). • Design employee-giving programs that match donations to ministries serving widows. Church Life • Appoint deacons or a designated team to track needs, as in Acts 6. • Maintain a benevolence line in the budget that moves funds quickly to rent, utilities, medical bills, and food. • Encourage small groups to “adopt” a widow for ongoing fellowship, meals, and holiday inclusion. • Teach the full counsel of Scripture on family responsibility (1 Timothy 5:4, 8) while providing support where family is absent. Community Engagement • Partner with crisis-pregnancy centers and retirement homes that house widows on fixed incomes. • Advocate for policies that protect inheritances and pensions, preventing elder exploitation. • Volunteer with local food banks or meal-delivery services that prioritize elderly women living alone. Motivations and Blessings • Deuteronomy 24:19 promises God’s blessing on work done with open-handed generosity. • Proverbs 19:17: “Kindness to the poor is a loan to the LORD, and He will repay the lender.” • Acts 20:35 reminds believers that it is more blessed to give than to receive, echoing the joy found in leaving “some for the widow.” |
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