Creating a Culture of Caring for others.

“As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10).

Here is a bold statement we all should wrestle with…

“If we as believers do not have a culture of caring for others, how can we truly be the salt of the earth and the light of the world?”

Every day we walk past people who are hurting in one way or another. As we pass by, we may wonder who they are or where they are from, but how often do we think about their needs, hurts, or struggles? I wonder do we think how can we do good for them?

My guess–most of us are not thinking about doing good for someone else. We are probably focused on getting through our day while dealing with our struggles. We are probably counting the hours until we can be done with our day and retreat to our homes.

But here is a truth–when we are not focused on caring for others we are hiding the gospel message from those who need to hear it.

Therefore, we should consider that caring for others is one of the best tools of evangelism. Doing good to all men, especially those who are Christians will allow the good news of Christ to be effectively shared. First, we do good to those who are believers we are strengthening the body for the very thing we are called to do, share the glorious hope of Christ. Strong Christians share the gospel, because they know what it has done for them. Secondly, when we do good for non-believers we are showing that we care for them and the reason we care is because Christ has demonstrated this type of compassion and care for us. Caring is all about the gospel message.

So then, how do we create a culture of caring?

A culture of caring begins with being open. Let me explain. To care properly for others we must have open…

• Eyes, open eyes do allow you to see what is all around you, but it is more than just simple observations. Open eyes allow us to see the real situation for what it is. Consider the action of a young kid who is acting out in class. If you observed this behavior, you would probably declare that the kids need discipline. You might be right, but then again there might be more to the story. Years ago when I worked at a Christian school, there was a kid who came back from Christmas break a terror to her teachers. She was just in kindergarten and seemed to be a bright kid who was well-behaved. The behavior change troubled her teacher as she was constantly having to have the administration come in and intervene. From any vantage point, you could see she needed discipline. So, the admin attempted to call the parents but there was no answer. Later that day the grandma, returned the call. What she shared changed how this young student was being viewed. Over Christmas break, she was in her home while her day murdered her mom. Boy! The eyes of all the staff were opened, which allowed everyone to see this precious child in a new way. Open eyes will direct you to see more than what is right in front of you.
• Ears, open ears allow you to hear beyond the words and beyond the noise to what is being said. We are all aware of the fact that someone can say they are “fine” and not be okay. When we listen to hear what is truly being communicated, we can hear what needs are being presented. For example: you walk by someone in your office who seems to speak rather harshly or dismissively to you. Rather than considering them to be a jerk, perhaps we should listen to their heart. I know this can be hard, they might not want you anywhere near them. If that is the case, you may have to listen from a distance. But taking the time to hear their heart might just give you room to care for them. I remember a time after a Sunday morning service when a young lady was very upset with the message that was preached. She did not agree with what was declared from the Word of God and she was going to let me know. As she berated me, she got more angry because I was not arguing back. When she asked me why I was saying anything, I replied, “I just wanted to hear and listen to your heart before I said anything.” At that moment her entire disposition changed. I think she realized that I cared for her.
• Heart, an open heart is a soft heart; one that is able to be moved to compassion when considering others. It is a heart that desires to receive the pain, struggles, and hurts that others are experiencing. It is a heart that feels the hunger of child who hasn’t had a proper meal in days. It is a heart that feels the stress of a parent who doesn’t know how they will make ends meet. It is a heart that feels the loss of someone who is having to bury a loved one far too soon. An open heart allows the feelings of others to enter their life. Be careful here, having an open heart might cost you but it is worth it. It is sad when people keep their hearts closed because they know having an open heart costs. One man shared with me that he would never go on a mission trip because he realized that if he saw and heard their needs his heart would demand action and he would want to meet their needs. He said he was not willing to give away all his money.
• Mind, an open mind is one that understands. Too often we judge others for their circumstances rather than stepping back to understand how they got where they are. An open mind allows you to process the situations of others and come to the conclusion that apart from the grace of God, you could possibly be in the same place. An open mind allows wisdom to direct how you should respond and what you should do. An open mind will take what the heart has received and process it for action.
• Hands, having open hands relates two thoughts to those you would help. First, my hands are open to receive you. You are welcome into my life, you have a place with me. Secondly, it communicates that you are willing to give what is needed. You are not holding on, but you want to give. Open hands are ready to go to work, to help others out of their situation. One of my favorite experiences helping others happened as I was driving on I-4 heading to Orlando from Tampa. I saw a couple of older ladies had pulled over with a flat tire. I stopped as quickly as I could to help out. As was changing the tire they made several nice compliments to me. One of them in a wheelchair called me an angel sent from God. Now here is where the story gets good. Just as I finished changing the tire, a road ranger showed up. He asked if I had everything fixed and told me to come over to his truck. When I got to his truck he opened a side compartment on a toolbox. In the compartment was a bottle filled with water. He took soap put it on my hands and proceeded to wash my hands. He thanked me for helping and made sure my hands were clean. The story is not about me changing someone’s tire, it is about this man having his hands open to wash the dirty hands of a stranger.

Can you think of a better position to be in? I cannot think of anything better than being in a position to care for those who are in need. Such a position means that we have been blessed. I challenge you to be open to making a difference in someone’s life today. Care for people, body and soul. When you show your love, you can reveal the love of God and the glorious gospel of Christ.