In Raleigh, today is Moral Monday. Moral Monday is a day in which NAACP leaders, community activists and religious leaders protest and take a stance of justice for all outside the Legislative offices in our capital city. Since the flush of spring, there have been hundreds of arrests made. But why cause such a ruckus? Let's just leave things the way they are. The NAACP leaders and community activists are shouting out against laws that affect the poor and marginalized in our state. They are speaking for those who are unable to speak and articulate for themselves.
In the bible we often read of accounts of the marginalized, especially women. There are two examples that I want to focus on, one coming from the Old Testament and the other from the Gospel of Luke. In 1 Kings, we are told the story of the widow of Zarephath, who was gathering sticks for a fire to use the remainder of her meal and oil to make a bread cake for her and her son and then, they would die. Obviously, this lady was in dire straights. Along comes Elijah, prophet of the Lord, who in his hunger and possibly a test of the widow's obedience begged her to make the bread cake for him instead of her son, and promised her that that her meal and oil would never run out. The widow did as Elijah asked, and it came to pass, that the widow's only son died. Elijah took the widow's dead son up to his chamber and prayed to the Lord, and the widow's son was resurrected. Pretty miraculous, huh?
In the Gospel according to Luke, Jesus was headed to the town Nain, and rolled up on a funeral procession. Here we have another widow who was mourning the death of her only son. Jesus was moved with compassion, and told her do not weap. He touched the bier, which could be likened to a coffin in modern terms, Jesus said to the young man "Arise" and the man sat up and began to talk. Fear fell upon the people and they began to praise God. As is the case with most if not all of Jesus' miracles, word quickly got out about this prophet that had arisen among the people.
What are these two stories telling us in the twenty first century? The widow of Zarephath, was faithful to God. In her lack, she blessed the man of God and received not only a material blessing of meal and oil, but the miracle of a resurrected son, as was the case with the widow of Nain, whose son, Jesus resurrected. My grandmother Annie, used to tell me. "Only what you do for Christ will last." No matter how great or small, only what you do for Christ will last. Janet Jackson had a single on her "Control" Album. The song's title posed a simple question, "What have you done for me lately?" In response to the widow of Zarepath's actions. I want to lift this question to you. What have you done for Him lately? Him who? The him that has raised to you to another day of blessings and opportunities. The him who loves you. The him who redeems and sanctifies you. The him whose love enables you to see beyond the fault of others and be moved with compassion. What have you done for Him lately, on behalf of someone who could not do for themselves?
Peace,
Karr
