Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained from the world. James 1:27
As I write this, I am on a plane to visit my 92-year-old mother who increasingly is suffering from serious dementia. Before I left, I asked my wife what she had planned for the week. Among her many plans was to visit her mentor, the widow of a deceased friend and former elder. This godly woman now lives in an assisted living facility because of numerous health issues.
Why do I tell you this? Certainly not to pat ourselves on the back. I don’t have any gifting or inclination toward mercy. Sharon and I don’t do this every week or even every month. But somewhere, among our many priorities, is to serve these older saints.
Hidden Obedience
The first reason I bring this up to is to remind you and myself of this hidden obedience that honors the Lord. How many times in Scripture do we see the Lord’s special care and attention for those who are widows and defenseless (1 Ki 17, Lk 2:36, Lk 7:11, Lk 21:2, 1 Tim 5:3)? Both of these women (my mother and Anne N) served the Lord faithfully teaching other women for years. They sacrificed numerous hours in preparation. Both served faithfully on committees. Both sought to be faithful to their husbands. Now they sit, having lost their independence, literally unable to travel. A new generation is leading the church. And these women can be forgotten. But God does not forget. In a society that favors the young and overlooks the older, we need the reminder to honor the older generation.
The second reason I tell you of this experience is to point out an easy way for your family to serve the body of Christ and for you to train your children. One aspect of family discipleship is teaching our children the gospel and the scriptures. But another crucial aspect is teaching your children to serve. It involves them watching you serve the older saints yourself. My adult children still remember some of the times that Sharon would serve our elderly neighbors who lived behind us.
Why does God call this service pure religion? Maybe because these widows cannot give back in any significant way. It is loving those who are defenseless and resourceless, just as Christ loved us.
A Family Discipleship Opportunity
So if you are in the family discipleship years, let me simply ask “Is there a shut-in or older person you could minister to?” I don’t know what that would look like in your context. Maybe it is taking some food to the neighbor or a quick visit to a church shut-in with one or two children. It doesn’t have to be long and it doesn’t have to be spectacular – just genuine.
In 1974, Francis Schaeffer listed four requirements for the church to reach the next generation: sound doctrine, honest answers to honest questions, true spirituality, and the beauty of human relationships. Visiting widows in their distress certainly displays the last two.
As you do this, you are pulling your children out of their natural self-centeredness. You are teaching them about serving others. And you are honoring the Lord.
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction. The world could use some more “religion” like that. And our children will remember and notice.
