other-care

Have you ever felt alone?  Lonely?  That no one really cared about you?  I think everyone at one time or another has felt isolated and alone.  As seen in John 14:16-17 no one has to fear being alone - if they are Christians God promises to give them a helper that is with them always!  But I’d like to switch the focus from being on our needs to the needs of others.  If you have ever been lonely and in need of someone to reach out and encourage you, do you think maybe others have as well?  Think about the people in your Church, class, work, apartment building.  No matter how busy those people look or how well liked they are, people need encouragement.  Why?  We are sinners and are constantly failing.  We get discouraged by how frequently we fail and by the failures of the world around us.  And no matter how much wealth, power, or prestige a person has, that doesn’t change the reality of sin.  What are we to do in response?  Hebrews 10:24-25 calls us to rally around those in our community and specifically calls out how we interact with other believers.  It says: “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another…”  First we are suppose to be in Christian company - specifically meeting for the worship of God.  It is funny what happens when we worship together - we start to actually care for one another.  And then the second part of the verse can start to happen - we can encourage one another.  But it takes effort.  It takes resolve.  It takes being active in your Christian community and putting aside the fact that you may wish someone would reach out to you and BE that person who is reaching out.  You’ll be surprised - when you begin to do the work God has called us to do, you yourself will be encouraged.  Why?  Because when we do God’s work our hearts begin to draw nearer to Him - the one who cares so much for us He took on our sin and died in our place.