SHEPHERD TO SHEEP
CARING FOR THE CAREGIVER
(Heb 6:10) For God is not unjust to forget
your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you
have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
When a person has a long term
illness your heart really goes out to them.
You do what you can to help them and for sure you keep them in your
thoughts and prayers. But for every
person that has an ongoing sickness or disability there is at least one or more
persons that takes care of him or her.
They serve ongoing and so often without a break. They serve willingly and they serve modestly
and without recognition. For these we
need to turn our attention to how we may care for the caregiver. And if you are a caregiver you need some
encouragement because what you do is amazing and will one day be rewarded by
the Lord Himself (Mat 25:21).
There are different types of
caregiving in terms of who a person takes care of. It could be an elderly mother or father, a person
with a disability, someone on hospice, etc.
But one thing is common…a caregiver serves day in and day out. They rarely have any time off. Their whole life is devoted to the care of
their loved one, friend, or person they are caring for. They are depended on, and if they weren’t
there then the ailing person would suffer for it. The caregiver maintains the life and dignity
of the person they serve. They have
learned every intricate detail that could never be written down in full for
someone else. These are unsung heroes
who need:
1) ENCOURAGEMENT: Just a word of appreciation for their work
goes a long way to boost their spirits and to keep them inspired in the work
they do. God is not unjust to forget
their labors and neither should we be neglectful to recognize their undying
devotion.
2) REST: The caregiver gives constantly but to avoid
burnout they need a break now and then. (Gal 6:2) Bear one another’s burdens, and so
fulfill the law of Christ. We can do
this by offering help so they can finally get to the things they need to do for
themselves.
3) GOD’S COMMENDATION: Some scripture verses are in order so the
caregiver will realize how much the Lord appreciates what they are doing: (John
15:13) Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his
friends…(Mat 25:40) And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say
to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you
did it to Me.’…(Isa 40:31) But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their
strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be
weary, they shall walk and not faint.
Our society has it all
wrong. We celebrate the celebrities and
bypass those who are the real superstars.
For those who give care we applaud what you are doing for others. You are an inspiration more than you know by
your selfless service so we may serve more nobly for Christ.
Louie
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