Welcome to the the second in my series of Bible studies about the moral imperative for caregiving.
When I was feeling disheartened about caregiving because everyone was telling me to ‘put my grandma in a home,’ I turned to the Bible to give me hope and encouragement to know that I was doing the right thing. Turns out, that God has a lot to say about the responsibility of taking care of your loved ones.
One of the Bible verses that keeps me going through difficult days and stormy seasons is Hebrews 6:10-12.
“For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do. Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance.”
In Hebrews 6, the author is helping the church how they can demonstrate their faith and the rewards that come with obedience. In this particular verse, the author is offering hope and encouragement to continue to fulfill God’s command during difficult times.
“For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do. (Hebrews 6:10)
Sometimes, when we’re in the throes of caregiving, the negatives can seem to overwhelmingly outweigh the positives. It’s easy to get discouraged.
When people stop coming around and calling to check on you…. When people say they’re there for you, but don’t really help when you need them… It’s easy to feel forgotten about.
God is an all-knowing God with a perfect memory. He sees what others don’t see- he sees the tears you cry, he sees the sacrifices you have made for your loved one, and he sees when others turn turn their backs on you.
This verse is reassuring the church that God will not let their trials and tribulations go unnoticed, as long as we put our faith into action and show love out of obedience, not just for show.
Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. (Hebrews 6:11)
From cover to cover throughout God’s word, we are mandated to love our neighbors as ourselves.
Everyone has heard the phrase “Walking the talk.” If we are truly to be like Jesus, we have to do what Jesus did and convert our affections into action.
If we are truly saved and truly following God’s word, we have to do more than just say we care for others. We should do things not because of how good they will make us look or the attention we can get from others, but because we are commanded to do them.
If we are obedient to His command, then we will receive our glory (glory from Above, not from man) and reap our blessings.
“Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance. (Hebrews 6:12)
Even when we are knee deep in dirty laundry, soaked from giving baths, and downtrodden by the disappointments of others, we have to persevere out of our duty to love one another. If we are simply doing things to get glory or attention from others, or with the expectation of a payoff at the end of the journey, we are doing them for the wrong reasons.
We have to be careful not become self-righteous and walk in the ways of the world. Somehow the world equates good deeds with righteousness. We as humans are not inherently righteous. Just because we do good things, if we do them on our own for our own sake, they are done in vain. True righteousness comes when you walking with God (Romans 3:10–12). If the love of God is our motivation, we will naturally do what He has called us to do.
Caregiving is truly carrying out God’s command to love our fellow man. The blessings of caregiving do not come from the praise (or pity) we get from others. The blessings of caregiving come when you make love a verb and truly live out your life everyday with the love of God in your heart.
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Are there Bible verses that you turn to in times of trouble for a comforting word or a reminder that you’re on the right path? Drop them in the comments!
