The Widow’s Only Son

“When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said, ‘Do not weep.’” — Luke 7:13

Soon after this, Jesus went to a town called Nain. His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd followed too.

As Jesus came near the town gate, another crowd was coming out. It was a funeral. People were carrying a young man who had died. He was his mother’s only son, and his mother was a widow. Her husband had already died, and now her son had died too.

In those days a widow without a son had nobody to look after her. She had lost everyone she loved, and she was all alone. A large crowd of people from the town was walking with her, crying.

When Jesus saw her, His heart went out to her. He felt so sorry for her. “Don’t cry,” He said to her gently.

Then Jesus did something nobody expected. He walked up and touched the stretcher they were carrying the young man on. The people carrying it stood still. The whole crowd stopped.

“Young man,” said Jesus, “I tell you, get up!”

And the dead man sat up and began to talk!

And Jesus gave him back to his mother.

Can you imagine how that mother felt? One moment she was walking behind her son’s body, crying, with no hope at all. The next moment he was alive, sitting up and talking, and Jesus was giving him back to her!

Everyone was filled with awe, and they praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us!” they said. “God has come to help His people!”

And the news about Jesus spread through the whole country.

Nobody had asked Jesus to help. The widow didn’t know who He was. Nobody begged Him. Jesus just saw her, and His heart was full of love for her, and He helped.

Long ago, the prophet Elijah had brought a widow’s son back to life (1 Kings 17:17–24). People must have remembered that story. But Jesus didn’t pray and stretch Himself over the boy, the way Elijah did. He just spoke, and death had to obey.

Jesus sees when people are sad. He cares about people who are lonely and grieving. And one day, Jesus will say “Get up!” to everyone who belongs to Him, and death will be gone for ever.

Read it in your Bible: Luke 7:11–17

Dear Jesus, thank you that you see people who are sad, and that your heart goes out to them. Please comfort people who are grieving today. Thank you that you are stronger than death. Amen.