How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Do you know someone who seems to be totally self-sufficient? When you think of this person, you readily assume that he/she has everything under control, lacks for little to nothing, and seems to always manage quite nicely. We all know people who seem to need lots of help. But don’t we also know those who seem to always have all of their bases covered?
Here’s the thing…nobody’s life is THAT together all the time! And while you may feel like there is very little you can do for some people, you must never underestimate the power of letting them know how much you care. The person who seems so busy caring for others needs a little tender “caregiving” from time to time. The friend or co-worker who never appears to have a bad day is probably putting on a good front. Everyone gets sick once in a while. At some point, every person will have troubles, grieve, or feel discouraged. And even if we never see this side of a person, we must assume that these things happen in his/her life.
So what can you do? Reach out to others. The Apostle Paul says quite clearly that he is content…that all of his needs are met, and he has learned how to live with little – or a lot. But at the same time, he is clearly grateful for the love and support of others. In our own “ministry”, this support might come in the form of a phone call or note of encouragement. It might mean just being friendly to others and offering a smile…asking “How is your day going?”…or saying, “I really appreciate how hard you are working on XYZ.” It might mean asking, “Is there anything I could do for you?”… or just saying, “If you ever need anything – even just a friendly ear – I’m here for you.”
When given an opportunity to meet physical needs of someone else, we must be first in line to do so. We must be ready, willing, and able to share a meal, a ride, a hand with a task, or even a few dollars when possible. This goes beyond the obvious…the canned food drives…the mission projects at church and in our community...the public fundraisers for this cause or that. I’m talking about meeting people on a personal level…sharing and caring…showing compassion and concern – even for those who seem to have no needs and are in fact busy meeting the needs of others.
Everyone gets weary. Everyone has needs on any given day. A good example is our pastors. They are human beings with families and daily challenges just like the rest of us. Yet we expect them to be superheroes that come to our rescue and minister to us at the drop of a hat! So while this scripture passage is often referred to for other reasons…while the focus is usually on the verses about learning to be content in whatever situation we find ourselves…I want to emphasize other sentences today.
Let’s look at three phrases:
- “I know that you have always been concerned for me.” Do people know this about you? Do they sense your concern and compassion for them? Do they believe that you truly care?
- “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” Do you trust God to give you the strength, courage, wisdom and compassion as you meet the needs of others each day?
- “... you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty.” Have you modeled true Christian discipleship by sharing with others in their present difficulties? Have you opened your eyes and ears to the needs of those in your midst…and done your best – with God’s help – to meet them?
©2014 Debbie Robus
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