Just how important is it for a Christian to care?

If we were honest with ourselves — something which we often aren’t — most of us would confess that caring about others is something we would rather not do.

Henri Nouwen, in his book, “Out of Solitude,” shared this insight:

“What we see, and like to see, is cure and change. But what we do not see and do not want to see is care: the participation in the pain, the solidarity in the suffering, the sharing in the experience of brokenness. And still, cure without care is as dehumanizing as a gift given with a cold heart.”

Not only is caring about others something we’d rather not do, so many of us actually don’t.

Yet, Christians hear often it’s something we’re supposed to do.

It certainly is something we’re not naturally inclined to do.

However, when we are converted from death to life, made a new creation in Christ, a part of our new nature is to care for others.

Just how important for Christians is the issue of caring? First, it’s important for us to remember our salvation is provided to us because Jesus cared about us! Our living out that caring characteristic of Christlikeness is so important to Jesus that it will take a central role in the final judgment. Look closely:

“But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

“Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’

“Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’

“And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’

“And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life,” Matthew 25:31-46.

It is an inescapable truth that our caring for others matters to Jesus. It should matter as much to us.

If you belong to Christ, if you yield your life to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to transform you, you’ll learn to care about others like Jesus cares.

Is caring about others important to you?

If you would like to go deeper into this very important subject, let me encourage you to check out my book, “Real Christians Care,” featuring a collection of writings on the topics of caring, compassion, generosity, kindness, selflessness, and serving. You can find out more about the book here.

Scotty