The Alien, Widow, and Child

If you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, and the widow … then I will dwell with you in this place…. — Jeremiah 7:6.

This verse exposes the timeless human tendency to marginalize the vulnerable: the refugee seeking sanctuary, the child deprived of security, and the widow left desolate. Even in the context of Jeremiah’s era, marked by its own challenges, such injustices were a direct affront to God’s covenant.

Imagine, then, the gravity of these transgressions in our present age, a time of unprecedented abundance and technological advancement. The sheer contradiction is staggering. How can societies, boasting of their progress and prosperity, continue to perpetuate the very same patterns of neglect and oppression that provoked divine rebuke a long time ago?

Through Jeremiah, God’s priorities are unequivocally clear: justice, compassion, and the unwavering defense of the marginalized. This divine imperative transcends temporal boundaries, demanding our unwavering adherence. Yet, a persistent question lingers: why does our collective conscience so often diverge from this divine mandate?

The call to “get right with our neighbors” is not a mere suggestion; it is a fundamental prerequisite for a just and harmonious society. It demands active resistance against oppression and a steadfast commitment to supporting “the least of these.” To ignore this sacred duty is to sever the very lifeline of our connection with the divine. We cannot, in good faith, lament God’s perceived absence when our own actions have driven him/her away. For as Jeremiah’s prophecy implies, if we fail to uphold justice and compassion, God will “dwell with another,” leaving us to face the consequences of our indifference.

About the author

Webb Hubbell is the former Associate Attorney General of The United States. His novels, When Men Betray, Ginger Snaps, A Game of Inches, The Eighteenth Green, and The East End are published by Beaufort Books and are available online or at your local bookstore. When Men Betray won one of the IndieFab awards for best novel in 2014. Ginger Snaps and The Eighteenth Green won the IPPY Awards Gold Medal for best suspense/thriller. His latest, “Light of Day” will be on the bookstands soon.

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