“Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless. If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless.
- Exodus 22:22-24
For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing.
- Deuteronomy 10:17-18
As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”
- Mark 12:38-40
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.
- James 1:27
A couple of months ago, maybe, I was resting on the second floor of my home when the phone rang. My son was frantic. He had called the cellphone repeatedly and I did not answer. He called the church to see if I was at a church meeting. Then, as his mind started to clear, he realized that I still had a landline. I picked up on the second ring.
When you take a water pill, there are certain triggers, some sensation that says, “Stay nearby. It will save you a lot of walking.” It does not happen every day, but enough to know the sensation. I had one of those sensations, so instead of returning to the basement (34 stair steps away), I stayed where I was. I had left the cellphone in front of the computer in the basement.
We had a short conversation, and then my son said to call the church. He explained how he had panicked before trying the landline.
When I called the church secretary, I said, “I’m alive.”
After she took a couple of deep breaths, she said, “Thank you for calling. We had the posse organized, but they had not left the building. My heart leapt when I heard your voice.”
I said, “It is so reassuring that the system works.”
When my wife had just passed away, my son called daily. He usually called several times each day, sometimes at inappropriate times. But now that it has been several months, he might not call more than once or twice in a week. I usually call him because since the telemarketers know my wife has passed, I rarely get them calling. My phone usually rings a couple of days each month to remind me that I have a doctor appointment of some kind. I am trying to finish this bit of writing before my audiology appointment, making sure the hearing aides are working properly, and a thorough cleaning.
So, one part of the system does not work so well. You don’t have to call to talk, but sometimes you have to call to hear the person’s voice.
The old commercial about “I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up” is all too real. While the Scriptures are assuming that a widower can get a job or marry someone else, there are some aspects to a widower that are like the widow. I like being alone, up to a point. I like it when the phone rings and it is someone I like talking to. I even tell jokes to the nurses and receptionists that call to confirm appointments. It lengthens the call so little, but I get to hear laughter.
So, if you have a loved one that lives alone, for whatever reason, they might appreciate a call.
Soli Deo Gloria. Only to God be the Glory.
Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley 
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