"Who Cares?"

“Who Cares?”

During my pastoral days I talked with a man who was going through some serious struggles with his family and business which, in turn, was affecting his spiritual life. In speaking with him I asked what his greatest need was and without hesitation he answered, “I just want someone to care.” I realized then how important it is for people to know that others are sensitive to their hurts and needs and the responsibility we have as members of the body of Christ to care for each other (“Carry each other’s burdens and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”—Galatians 6:2).

The man mentioned above had asked, “Who cares?” and had responded, “No one!” Humanly this was probably more commonplace than we’d like to admit. But it wasn’t entirely true because the Scripture says, “…(God) cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7). Too often, however, we leave caring with the Lord and forget that He sometimes cares for people through people—those like us who willingly put ourselves in His hands to be used as His instruments in ministering to others.

The early church was a caring community, bound together by love and sympathetic with each other’s needs and struggles. It wasn’t perfect in this effort (witness Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5) but it recognized the duty each had to the others and fulfilled it to a high degree. This is one of the major factors in its growth and strength as described in Acts.

In one of the churches we served we adopted as a year’s theme “Our Best for Him” based on 1 Corinthians 10:31 (“…Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”). One way in which this can be done is by giving our best to His people. In reply to a hypothetical question in Matthew 25:37-39 Jesus said, “…Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Verse 40). Our obligation is clear.

Who cares? Let’s pray that we’ll be able to say (and show by our actions), “We do!”

Blessings!

Jim McMillan