June 16, 2024

Proverbs 31.8, 9 (NIV)

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

Caring for the fatherless [is] not simply one of many good ideas; it [is] a biblical mandate.*

The first week that my twin boys were in high school, I got hives. Besides scheduling issues, the school was trying to put them in a remedial program they didn’t need and that would have actually set them back in getting their credits to graduate. Every time I called the school I talked to another person who couldn’t help me and who made no effort to find someone who could. One day I spent over an hour waiting to talk to a guidance counselor who was busy – handing out labeled, alphabetized folders to new students and offering them no guidance whatsoever so why couldn’t somebody else distribute those folders??? Oh and then there was the man who came out to talk to me but who never bothered to identify himself or his job (I might have been better off if he had been the janitor instead of one of those guidance counselors). By the end of the week, I had found my source of help – the district superintendent’s secretary. She was able to connect me with someone who actually had the power to come to my rescue - and I told her she couldn't retire until my boys graduated.

I share that story to tell you this: for one week, I knew what it felt like to be powerless. And yet, I really wasn’t. I had a lot of frustrating experiences but I had resources: a boss who allowed me to take all the time I needed to resolve the situation; access to communication and transportation; an education that enabled me to speak intelligently; the means to dress appropriately; and I had connections.

The first verse of this proverb says that it is an oracle taught to King Lemuel by his mother. Lemuel is believed to be an alias for King Solomon. Regardless of his true identity, he should listen to his mother! A king is the antithesis of powerless and is someone who is in a prime position to do something for the helpless. We, too, are in a position of power – we are children of the King. And our Father has told us that speaking and acting on behalf of the powerless is how we honor him. Use your royal power generously.

The difference between a poor flower girl and a lady is not so much in the way she acts as in the way she is treated.*