“Humanity means caring for and helping others whenever and wherever possible.”
Our most important role as a member of God’s family is to care for each other. Caring for our extended family is personifying God’s love. God’s love is communicated through our caring. The Bible provides a graphic illustration of what love for humanity means. It is a basic, down-to-earth involvement with people’s needs. This involvement is personal and knowledgeable of their needs. This is the response to caring.
The people in our extended family may not require clothing, food, etc. But they do have real needs and their care is an ongoing process. Your care may involve responding to the void of loneliness, frustration, or despair, and it demands a personal and genuine investment in caring for others. Authors Win and Charles Arn write that Paul Cedar said, “You simply cannot love another only on your schedule. You must be willing to be available when the other person needs you. Availability is an essential ingredient of authentic love.”
Caring about the needs of humanity is a testament to our faithfulness to God. Faithfulness is important in all areas of life. God promises to reward us for our faithfulness. We should ask ourselves how we are managing the little things in life, such as caring for those in God’s family? It may not matter much to you if someone sends an e-mail or letter to you, but that person may be expecting a response. We should care enough to respond, even if it is just a short note.
God says you will be rewarded for your faithfulness toward the least of humanity. So, we should do our best at working to care for all of God’s family. Work at it with all your heart and do your best to please God, not our human masters. We should not be motivated by fear, but by the love for God and for our fellow human beings.
Finally, as a follower of the Lord, we should be known for being kind, compassion, dependable and forgiving to one another. God models the best behavior for how to treat and care for each other. If we do as God says and does, we will be looked on favorably in our hour of need and we will make the world a better place. And Never Give Up! Never Give Up! Never Give Up!
By Dr. Walter Ghosten
chaplain@lhp.net
