𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗠 𝗨𝗣

• What is the importance of children in the family or a society? How have you seen or experienced the value of placing children in a family?

• How do you react when you see a vulnerable child or woman? How do others around you react?

• Why is it important to help travelers, children without families, or women without empowerment or protection? What happens when they are not helped or supported?

𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗗

“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 𝘴𝘰𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘳, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘥𝘰𝘸, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴. . . . 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘌𝘨𝘺𝘱𝘵; 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴.” 𝗗𝗘𝗨𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗢𝗠𝗬 𝟮𝟰:𝟭𝟵,𝟮𝟮

(Read also 𝗗𝗘𝗨𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗢𝗠𝗬 𝟮𝟰:𝟮𝟬–𝟮𝟭.)

God especially commanded the Israelites to provide for the traveler, the fatherless children, and disempowered women. These three were particularly vulnerable in society. They do not belong to the state they are in or have no providers or protectors.

Before we became part of God’s family, we experienced oppression to sin and vulnerability to fear. As people of God, we know how it feels when God steps in on our behalf, giving us a sense of belonging, protection, and provision. Of all people, then, how should we respond and serve children and the vulnerable?

𝟭. 𝗚𝗼𝗱’𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗱𝗼𝘄.

“𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘴, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘨𝘰 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯. 𝘐𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘳, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘥𝘰𝘸.” 𝗗𝗘𝗨𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗢𝗠𝗬 𝟮𝟰:𝟮𝟬

Vulnerable people are unable to change their situations by their own power. Such vulnerability may be due to poverty, disability, displacement, unfamiliarity, or absence of someone to speak or act on their behalf. God’s word is clear: His people are to share what they have left over with those who are vulnerable. Who would you say are vulnerable persons around you?

𝟮. 𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺.

“𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘺𝘢𝘳𝘥, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘱 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥. 𝘐𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘳, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘥𝘰𝘸.” 𝗗𝗘𝗨𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗢𝗠𝗬 𝟮𝟰:𝟮𝟭

We are not to ignore the presence of the vulnerable in our society. Especially if we have enough to provide for ourselves, our families, and to make a continued living. God told His people that after they had gathered the harvest, they were not to go back for every last piece of fruit. This is so that there would be food left for those who are in need. Likewise, we should deliberately set aside part of our resources to help the desperate. Share a time you were in need and someone extended generosity to you. What happened? How was that experience for you?

𝟯. 𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗼𝗱’𝘀 𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀.

“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 𝘴𝘰𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘳, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘥𝘰𝘸, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴. . . . 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘌𝘨𝘺𝘱𝘵; 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴.” 𝗗𝗘𝗨𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗢𝗠𝗬 𝟮𝟰:𝟭𝟵,𝟮𝟮

God does not expect our compassion to come out of nowhere. In Deuteronomy, He reminded the Israelites that they had also experienced oppression and vulnerability as slaves in Egypt. Of all people, they should know how it feels to have no possessions or protection. In the same way, as former slaves to sin and present children of God, we too should show compassion.

At the same time, God promises blessings when we step out in compassion for the vulnerable. He promises to bless us in all the work of our hands. God does not only provide for the vulnerable, He provides for us as we share His blessings with others. What extra resources do you have that you can share?

When we use the material blessings God has given us to help those in need, it produces a harvest of righteousness—people thanking and praising God for providing for them through us. People are drawn to God because of our submission to God in being generous. Together, we look forward to an inheritance of an eternal home and a forever Father.

𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡

• God loved us first and freed us from oppression. Do you remember the feeling of vulnerability? How did it feel when you experienced God's freedom, and how can you be a conduit for others to experience this as well?

• Are there any organizations you are familiar with who support vulnerable people? What can you do to support them?

• Consider the idea of setting aside an amount regularly that you can give to those in need. What will it take for you to do this, and how can you make steps towards this?

𝗣𝗥𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥

• Thank God for His compassion on you and His salvation freely given to you.

• Ask God to give you a heart for marginalized people, especially children with no fathers and disempowered women.

• Pray and ask God for opportunities and open doors to reach out to people who have been marginalized by society. Pray for empowerment by the Holy Spirit, courage, wisdom and boldness to step out of your comfort zone to help and support others.