Paying Attention

Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? Luke 15:4 NIV

The parable of the lost sheep is a favourite of mine, and a favourite for many others too. It wraps up the love and patience of Jesus in coming after His sheep if and when he or she strays. That’s clearly us, because we do tend to stray, and that’s why we love the story.

For the first time in many years of reading this story I noticed a part of the action of the Shepherd, which is not said, but is hidden in the text. What stands out to you? The thought of being carried home? The action of the Shepherd ‘going after’ His sheep? The fact that He felt confident enough to leave the other sheep without a Shepherd while He went looking? These are all amazing characteristics of our Shepherd Saviour, and how he loves us. But is something obvious being left unsaid?

Before He did any of the actions that a Shepherd would do for the sheep that were His responsibility, He must have noticed that something was wrong. He made regular counts and this time it brought home the truth that one was not there, so that’s why He went after it and did all He could to bring it back? I suggest it was because He cared for all the sheep, and so knew when one was missing. Think about that. Jesus cares for His sheep who are lost. He notices. The Shepherd pays attention to the one who is not there in His safekeeping.

Fast forward to our day and age. To a degree we are all shepherds with some responsibility to help bring lost sheep home where we can. We are not the Good Shepherd, but we can be good enough to notice, or care enough to act when we discover that someone is not out at church. But first, like Jesus the great Shepherd, we must care enough to notice. Only when we pay attention can we continue to do the other things described in the parable. May God help us all to pay more attention and care when it is needed!

In/Dependence

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. 1 Peter 5:7 NLT

No one wants to be a burden, especially as we get older and we become less able to manage as well as we once did, at least physically. At the root is the fact that you were always the strong parent and grandparent, but now you are less sure footed, and a bit more forgetful. We don’t want to be dependent on anyone, least of all our family, and the other side of that coin is the possible loss of our independence. I don’t know which part of that process is worse. We would want none of it.

Now and again, we need to lean on someone for support. There comes a time when you have less choice in the matter. It can help if the person you lean on, or depend on first, is not close family. Not that family don’t know, or care, or can’t see your struggles, but the first time I needed that new level of support, I was glad it was someone I didn’t know. That helped to create a bridge for further help when needed, to the people who loved me most. My family.

Travelling always brings its own challenges, especially flying between continents where a long haul is involved. It became more and more obvious that this dependence could not be hidden. It was obvious to others, as well as myself. It had happened. The line had been crossed between needing help, and asking for it. It was now the job of the airport and airline companies to provide that assisted travel, but now that I had recognised the need to myself (the hardest one to convince), the travelling became much easier.

But more than all that, I had crossed the Rubicon. There was no going back. As a result, a sense of release came in because I didn’t have to pretend any longer. I was the last to know how much help was needed, but family were, and still are, gracious. Not wanting to rush me but at the same time preparing for the next step in my own journey of life. I am again reminded of how blessed I am to have the family circle around me that God has allowed in my life. My heart echoes, “Thank you, Lord!”

Who Cares?

If God makes what grows in the field so beautiful, what do you think he will do for you? That’s just grass—one day it’s alive, and the next day someone throws it into a fire. But God cares enough to make it beautiful. Surely he will do much more for you. Your faith is so small! Luke 12:28

Who do you trust with your deepest feelings but the one you trust the most? After all, why should you unburden your innermost thoughts and fears to someone who couldn’t care less what you are going through?

Praying is what we do, but the pray-er is the person who cares enough about you to remember to bring your hurts and problems to the Father in the act of intercession. If the pray-er doesn’t care, s/he will not remember to pray. They may have other things on their mind, and it may not be you.

I think the ultimate compliment we can be paid as a Christian, is when a friend asks you to pray for them, and their life. They will only do that if they trust you fully, and know in their heart that you will pray. Be thankful if or when you are asked to pray on behalf of another struggling soul. They have just placed their deepest trust in another struggling soul, but one whose integrity they respect. Let’s not take that trust lightly.

I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares for you. Philippians 2:20

Give all your worries to Him, because He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

Charity

“In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.” - Augustine

‘Charity’ is one of those old words we don’t use very much now, but it has a wealth of significant meaning, especially for the faithful Christian. It is mostly translated as ‘love’ in the Bible, and who doesn’t know the love chapter of 1st Corinthians 13? Jesus also told us to love one another, as we love ourselves, and as He has loved us. We can’t dodge it, we have to show charity, or in other words to love one another.

The other meanings of ‘charity’ would be ‘concern’, ‘caring’, ‘looking for the best’, ‘welfare’, ‘goodness’, and in each case it involves the initial parts of falling in love. Can you remember the time when you started to notice the woman who would become your wife? All your thoughts, feelings and emotions were only for her good, and aimed at the one who would become your love. Is it stretching it too far to suggest that if you say you act in love, but don’t have the caring heart needed up front to support it, then this kind of love is only a part time feeling, and maybe even a sham?

Augustine nailed it when he suggests that in all things we must have charity, or love. It tops essentials and non-essentials every time, and is based on sound Scripture. Perhaps we could all do with some more good old fashioned charity.

A soft and gentle and thoughtful answer turns away wrath, But harsh and painful and careless words stir up anger. Proverbs 15:1 (AMP)

Carers

In the past few days, TV screens in the UK have shown footage of secret filming by the BBC of abuses in a Care Home for the physically and mentally challenged who only know this place as their 'home'. The subject is 'carers' but the perpetrators of the abuses shown cannot take that title. Carers earn their name, by the way they look after their charges, and the name is worthy to be given to many in the eyes of the wider family who trust their children and siblings and parents into their care.

I have some knowledge of local Care Homes. Both my elderly parents benefited from loving care given by paid staff. I have good and caring family who have been, and are still involved in the care of the less fortunate in later years. They would rightly be horrified at all and any abuse meted out to unsuspecting residents by so called 'care staff'. Thankfully, this kind of abuse, by these kinds of people, are few and far between, but that does mean we have an excuse to do nothing to make sure it cannot happen again.

Our culture and laws are based on Christian values, so we have a responsibility to the vulnerable in our society. Not necessarily to do the excellent work of 'hands on caring', but to watch where abuse happens, and stand up against it. Jesus described us as 'the salt of the earth' and warned us against losing our savour. Yes, we like the “God is Love” approach, but we should also be in fear of the same God who judges our actions, and inactions. Unless the ones guilty of this reported abuse repent (now there's an old word!), they will suffer a terrible punishment. I can still hear the words of a special and true carer saying, “If we don't speak up for them, who will”? Good question!

Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. Matt 25:40,46 (KJV)