Articles
Loneliness 4
Loneliness can affect us in many ways. It leaves us vulnerable not only emotionally, but
physically as well. People are easier to take advantage of, rob, kidnap, and all types of evil when
they are alone. In both the Old and New Testament the Bible often tells of three groups who are
in danger: foreigners, widows, and orphans. In the Old Testament, these groups and the way they
were treated by the Israelites, were used by God to point out Israel’s evil activities. When God
gave the law to Moses, He included a warning to the Israelites about how they should treat these
individuals. “You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the
land of Egypt. You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. If you do mistreat them, and
they cry out to Me, I will surely hear their cry, and My wrath will burn, and I will kill you with
the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless” (Exodus 22:21-
24, ESV). Several Old Testament writers saw God taking a special interest in this group. The
writer of the Psalms saw God as “Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in His
holy habitation” (Psalm 68:5, ESV).
In the New Testament we are reminded of the importance that God places on helping
those who are vulnerable. “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to
visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world”
(James 1:27, ESV). Our society is made up of lonely people surrounded by potential friends.
The devil has worked hard to separate us from each other with fear, hatred, and selfishness.
People are seen as dangerous and we lock our doors, set up security systems, put cameras inside
and outside our homes and in every public place, all in the name of our personal security.
However, what we really need is people who care, take time and check on people, visit and take
an interest in people’s lives. I think Jesus sums up the answer to our loneliness problem. “Jesus
replied: "'Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor
as yourself'” (Matthew 27: 37-38). ~B Tolbert
