Caring IX

. . . that he would save us from our enemies, from the hands of all who hate us.

 - From Luke 1

Caring involves a healthy portion of providing protection. 

Caring is hard work! Caring requires us to be alert to the dangers around those that are in our charge. If we have been caring for someone else; a person that has needs that only we can fulfill, then it's possible we have built up some resentment against this person. Can't I have my own life?

We may hear middle-aged people complaining about having to care for their aging parents. But don't they want to be cared-for, too, when they are old? At all steps of life, we always need perspective that we desperately lack!

Caring takes sacrifice! You must trust that there is an eternal place of rest! You must have the balanced view of this present life: It is transitory. It will end, sooner rather than later.

So take care of people!!

The shepherd does not rest well.  If he rests at all, it is because he has worked hard to build effective barriers against predators. So it is with us. The ministry of "care" is very demanding, and very rewarding. But it isn't easy.

How are the people around you? Are they affirmed? Do they feel safe? Do they feel they matter?

We only have these mass political movements of angry people, because too many people in the lives of too many people, didn't listen, and didn't care.

Your political passions may play out right there in your own daily life, among your family, friends, and co-workers. And your neighbors. It's right there in front of you. It has no bumper stickers and no editorials. Tax dollars will not help those people. Someone else is not going to step in and fix things.

It's you.

Be so busy helping people you actually know, that you know longer get so worked up over today's headlines. Your close, and current problems, are the only real ones. 

Care.