A Life of Care Giving

Our Savior calls each of us to live a life of care giving. We are to take the tenderness, encouragement, and compassion that He has lavished on us and pass it on. That, of course, is not easy since our nature is to wallow in selfishness, self-absorption, and the idea that others should be caring for us and not us for them. The basic foundation of care giving is found in Philippians 2. "Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus." "Let each esteem others better than themselves." Our Savior poured Himself out for us, willingly became a servant to us, and never wavered from caring for us even though it meant death on the cross. He is, of course, still caring for us, advocating for us before the Father, preparing a place for us, committed to loving us for all of eternity.

Is it possible for us to be as tenderhearted a carer as our Savior? Yes. As Philippians tells us Paul was pouring himself out for others, Timothy genuinely--spontaneously--responded to the needs of others with a servant's heart, and Epaphroditus, one of my favorites, lying ill in bed at the point of death from serving others was concerned only with the thought that he was causing others to worry about him. By the way, I have no doubt that he humbly and with a heart of gratitude accepted the care that Paul, Luke, and others gave him in his distress.

The key, of course, is to submit to the Spirit's cleansing and purging out of our lives that self-centeredness that we cherish so highly. "Every branch that bears fruit, He cleanses it that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in Me. . . for apart from Me you can do nothing. As we rest--abide--in who He is and what He has done and is doing for us, He uses the Sword of the Spirit to cleanse us of ourselves and make us more like Him--a care giver to all those He brings into our lives.

What does a care-giver look like?

They are not concerned about how events or decisions affect them. It is the needs and well-being of the other person that alone matters.
They desire always that the right thing be done in the right way.
They don't believe that anything they have belongs to them. They are more than ready to use it to aid others.
They are ready to listen. They want to hear more than they want to be heard.
If there's a need--or even a want--time of day doesn't matter.
They don't force their help on others; yet, they never fail to respond cheerfully when asked.
They don't worry about being taken advantage of.
They are thankful when others show care to them. They never take it for granted.
No burden is too heavy.
No one is considered too hopeless to care for.
They forgive and forget all offenses.
They do not do what they do to be noticed. They cringe at recognition. They are just loving because He loved them first. It is the natural thing for them to do as the Spirit controls their lives. They can't help themselves.
They give all their cares to Him. Worry is not something they worry about.
Once they've met you, they make a lifetime commitment to caring about you and for you.
They pray all day long for whomever God puts into their minds and on their hearts.

If there is any tenderness in Christ, pass it on. Ask that, like Paul, He will empower you to pour out yourself for others. Ask that, like Timothy, no one with a need can cross your path without your spontaneously reaching out to them. Ask that, like Epaphroditus, you will be enabled to care for others until death takes you be with Him, the Eternal Care-Giver.

"If you abide in Me, and my Word abides in you, you shall ask what you will and it shall be given to you." If I am growing in grace and in the knowledge of who He is, and if I am allowing the Spirit you use His Word to cleanse me of myself, then, the power to "esteem others better than myself," He will gladly give me.

Just Ask.