Luke 7:11–17

Read the passage.

Jesus leaves Capernaum and travels to the town of Nain. When He and his disciples arrive there, they meet a funeral procession coming out of the gate. Luke tells us that the dead man is the only son of a widow. For a large portion of history, orphans and widows were the most vulnerable people in society because they did not have family to provide food and protection for them. There weren’t social services or charitable organizations like we have today because most people were too concerned with their own survival and no more time or energy to spare for others.

When Jesus sees this woman, He has compassion on her and gets ready to do something amazing. He stops the procession and tells the dead man to get up. The young man gets up and starts talking, so the crowd of onlookers are amazed and fearful. They recognize God’s power is working through Jesus and they call Him a great prophet. Jesus’s fame continues to spread throughout Judea.

Help us to have compassion like Jesus did, to see people where they are and how we can help them.