Romans 12:9-11
Be sincere in your love for others. Hate everything that is evil and hold tight to everything that is good. Love each other as brothers and sisters and honor others more than you do yourself. Never give up. Eagerly follow the Holy Spirit and serve the Lord. Let your hope make you glad. Be patient in time of trouble and never stop praying. Take care of God’s needy people and welcome strangers into your home.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I read an article in a recent issue of Good Housekeeping magazine about “other mothers” – women who “mothered” children of friends and neighbors – and how significant their roles were to the author. With all due respect to my own mother, I have one or two “other mothers” myself… women who love me with patience and prayer and offer me guidance and encouragement, even though they have their own children and families - and challenges aplenty to keep them busy! While I think this is more prevalent among women, I am sure there are “other fathers” and “other children,” too. In fact, I know that my grandmother has something of a mother/son relationship with her deacon. His mother is in heaven, as is my dad)… so they have bonded and shared many things that you would think of as “mother-son” experiences.
In this manner, “other mothers/fathers/children” are taking care of “needy” people and welcoming strangers into their home. They are inviting others into their lives and treating them like family. And this is what Paul is calling us to do in this passage. We are to look beyond ourselves and find those who need our time and attention. These people may not be “needy” in the sense we would normally consider… their needs may be more emotional or spiritual. Nonetheless, we are called to embrace others and welcome them into our circle.
“But when is it MY turn?” you may ask. Hear me well… it may feel like you never get a “turn” - and that’s okay! If you are doing what God has called you to do as His servant, it won’t matter. You will not even think about what is being done for you – or to you. You will be too busy sharing the love of God with others. And I think you will find that in doing this, you get more “turns” (in the form of blessings) than you may recognize!
We all find it so easy to turn inward… to ask “what is in it for me?”… and focus on our “bucket list,” our plans, our desires. But this is not God’s plan for us. He wants us to be busy looking for ways to serve in His name… people to “mother” or support as necessary…prayers to offer on the behalf of others. Take a look at your own life today. Find the areas where you may have acted selfishly, and ask God to help you do to better.
NEVER GIVE UP on yourself or others… keep striving to be sincere in your love and concern for others – and to always have an open-door policy. And if you have an “other mother” or significant person in your life who is always there for you, take a few minutes today to let them know how grateful you are for their love and care. Thank God for sending these people to nurture you… and ask Him to show you how to pay it forward in His name to the “needy” people in your own life.
©2012 Debbie Robus
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