The Bible has a lot to say about orphans, what it means to be an orphan, and how God’s people should care for them. An orphan is someone who has lost their parents or their so named guardians and find themselves alone. Being an orphan holds a special place in the Bible.
Throughout the Bible, God often uses the plight of the orphan as a comparison for how people should interact with one another. In Proverbs 14:31, God says, “He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.”
God doesn’t just talk about the importance of caring for orphans, though – He also puts a lot of emphasis on actually doing it. One of the ways God does this is through talking about the “orphan’s rights”. These rights give orphans the same rights as any other person, even if they don’t have parents or guardians to protect them.
In Deuteronomy 10:18, God tells us, “Love the foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt.” He speaks similarly in Leviticus 19:34, saying, “The foreigner living among you must be treated as your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt.” This speaks to how we should treat orphaned children, with the same care and respect we would treat our own family.
In Isaiah 1:17, God says, “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.” This verse reminds us that God calls on us to defend the vulnerable and care for the orphaned. It also speaks to God’s protection of the orphans, as He calls on us to stand up for them even when they can’t stand up for themselves.
The Bible also speaks to how those who care for orphans should be treated. In James 1:27, it says, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” This speaks to the importance of caring for orphans, and how those who do so should be seen by society.
Call to Action
The Bible makes it clear that God calls His people to care for orphans and make sure that they are treated with dignity, kindness, and respect. We can start by praying for orphans around the world and for ways to support them through charities and organizations that work to promote the rights of orphans.
We can also educate ourselves on the issues facing orphans around the world, and get involved in our own communities to be a voice for the voiceless. We can find ways to help in our own local churches, or volunteer through organizations or shelters that work with orphaned and displaced children.
God is calling His people to stand up for the orphans and defend their rights in this world. Through our involvement and compassion, we can be a voice to the voiceless and make sure that the orphans are provided with their basic rights and necessities.
Advocacy
Once you have educated yourself on the issues facing orphans around the world, it’s important to take action and use your voice to advocate for them. One way to do this is through writing and sending letters to your local and federal representatives, asking them to put forth laws and policies that protect the rights of the orphans.
You can also rally together with other people in your community and host events to bring attention to the plight of the orphans and encourage your representative to take action. Additionally, many international organizations would welcome your involvement and help as they work to support the orphans and their rights.
In the end, it’s important to remember that being an advocate for orphans doesn’t just mean writing letters and attending events. It also means being a friend and mentor for orphans, and setting an example of love, kindness and compassion for them.
Educating Others
It’s important to not only take action in supporting orphans yourself, but to also use your voice to educate others in your community and beyond. The issues facing orphans around the world can sometimes be overlooked and so it’s important to make sure they are discussed and brought to the forefront.
Hosting a panel discussion or giving a talk at local schools or universities can be a great way to spread awareness and educate others on the plight of orphans. Additionally, you can use your business or organization as a platform to spread awareness, as well as use social media to spread the message to a wider audience.
In summary, it’s important to use your voice and platform to make sure that the issue of orphaned and displaced children is brought to the forefront, and that we do our best to protect and support those who have lost their guardians.
Lobbying for Orphans
Using your influence and resources can also be a great way to support orphans around the world. Through lobbying your local representatives, you can demand changes and laws that protect the rights of the orphans, and put an end to the abuses and exploitation that many orphans face.
You can also petition your government and ask them to fund initiatives that help to protect and support the rights of the orphans. Additionally, speaking out and fighting for policy changes on a larger international scale can also be a great way to advance the cause and make sure that the rights of orphaned children are protected.
It takes a global effort to protect and support the rights of orphaned children, and so it’s important to use our voices, resources and influence to make sure they are given the same rights as all children.
Conclusion
The Bible has a lot to say about orphans and how God expects His people to care for them. Through advocating for them, educating ourselves on the issues facing them, and using our influence to demand changes and policies that protect their rights, we can use our voices to make sure that orphaned children are always given the care, respect and dignity they deserve.
