July 18 – Called to be Comforters (Ecclesiastes 4:1-3)

IN WORD:
Solomon’s wisdom in Ecclesiastes is a biting, bitter assessment of life as it is “under the sun” (1:3). It does not take into account the intervention of a redeeming God that gives purpose to all things. No, this is what life with a distant God looks like; in this picture, “everything is meaningless” (1:2). So when this teacher looks at the oppressed — the widows, orphans, and captives found in every society in every era — he sees no comforter. There is no one on their side.
God sees the same situation. We are told that He is “a father to the fatherless, a defender of widows” (Psalm 68:5). But more than that, He is constantly calling His people to take care of those who are needy. The people of God are never to be the oppressors, but are always to side with the oppressed. We are to work for their justice, sacrifice for their welfare, and provide for their needs. We may have various political, social, or spiritual philosophies on how that is to be done, and we may argue over which institution is best equipped to meet the needs. But there is one scriptural principle that we cannot argue with if we believe God’s Word: It is our job to show God’s compassion for those who need it.
Think of the commands. In the Law of Moses, God always made provision for widows, orphans, and others in need. Proverbs tells us that whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for God (14:31) and that God will not answer the prayers of those who neglect the poor (21:13). And unless we think God’s concern for the needy is an Old Testament phenomenon, consider James: Real faith always involves looking after widows and orphans (1:27).

IN DEED:
How do you treat the poor and oppressed? Your answer is essentially a barometer of your relationship with God. You can measure the degree to which your heart beats with His by your visible, active concern for the needy. Solomon’s observation that the poor have no comforter begs for a response. God calls His people to be that response.

“When we turn our backs on the poor, we turn them on Jesus Christ.” -Mother Teresa-