He chose the mustard seed, “ the least of all the seeds,” to symbolize His Kingdom (Matt. He chose Bethlehem, the “ least among the rulers of Judah,” to be the birthplace of the Messiah (Matt. God always watches out for those, like the fatherless, who are “the least.” He chose Israel because she was “ the least of all peoples” (Deut. The Lord also provided for the fatherless in the harvests, “ When you reap your harvest in your field, and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands” (Deut. “ And you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant and the Levite, the stranger and the fatherless and the widow, who are within your gates” (Deut. There is repeated mention in the Torah of providing for orphans and including them in the Feasts, making sure that they were always treated justly. God’s “Father heart” mandated that caring for the fatherless be an important act of charity and a holy duty. The love demonstrated has to be unconditional, with no thought of reciprocity nor recompense. James 1:27 is perhaps the most well-known verse on this theme, “ Pure and undefiled religion before God and the father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” Why would this type of religion be pure and undefiled? Perhaps because orphans and widows cannot repay kindnesses done. The New Covenant continues emphasizing the heart of God for the fatherless and widows. We are still in touch and Micaela has taught her children to call us Safta (Grandma) and Saba (Grandpa)! We met with them on our last Mercy Mission and showered the five of them (three children) with “ mah-tah-NOTE,” gifts from YOU! It was considered a great “ mitzvah” to provide for her wedding. Micaela has a mother, but her father died in an accident when she was little. Many years ago, Jewish Jewels sponsored the wedding of an “orphan bride” in Israel. Having no father defines what an orphan is. (See Lamentations 5:3, 7.) The actual word “orphan” is only used four times in the New King James Version of the Bible, while the word “fatherless” is used 40 times. In traditional Hebrew biblical thought, a child who has a mother but no father is considered an orphan. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob highlights two of the His major roles: He is a Father, and He is a Husband. “ You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child” (Ex. The Lord makes it clear that He insists on justice for the fatherless and widows: “ …Cursed is the one who perverts the justice due the stranger, the fatherless, and widow…” (Deut. The Hebrew word for “defender” is da-YAHN, literally, judge. The Hebrew word for “fatherless” is yeh-toe-MEEM, and the word for “widows” is ahl-mah-NOTE. King David gave us the most quoted psalm about these beloved ones of God: “ A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation” (Psalm 68:5). The Lord is reminding us this month that He has not forgotten anyone-especially orphans and widows. Dear Mishpocha (Family), Orphans and Widows
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