Caring for the Vulnerable
“So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, especially those who are of the household of faith.”
“But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?”
Being vulnerable can mean being endangered, unprotected, or susceptible. It is often a picture of people who need the protection of others, or who need help with the basic necessities of life. In the Old Testament, farmers were instructed to leave a portion of grain or grapes in the field after the harvest so the poor could gather them, so they didn’t starve, literally sharing with those in need what they had been blessed with.
What does that practically mean for us today? We have been given so much, and are called to share with those in need whether it be food, a place to stay, household goods, or a listening ear.
Physically we can give the things we don’t need any more to the Sharing Shed to bless others, or we can give of our time a few hours each month to serve those who come to the Shed in need of very practical things, but who also need the love of Jesus.
Emotionally, we can allow those in need to glean some of our time by listening to their hearts and struggles. It means weeping with those who weep and walking beside those who are hurting.
Spiritually, we can sacrifice our time to pray, serve, or share the Gospel with someone who needs it. For years my husband and I opened our home to young women who needed a safe place to stay, sometimes for weeks, sometimes for years. We were called to sacrifice our home, our privacy, and our “stuff” to love and serve them. Some people were easier to serve than others, but they all needed us to be physically, emotionally, and spiritually present. How could we not love and care for them after what Jesus has done for us?
Ultimately, Caring for the Vulnerable means that we are willing to sacrificially love others by having our schedules interrupted, our money spent, our reputations ruined, and our possessions worn out.
It means being compassionate, involved, and committed to those in need. We can only do this because that is what Jesus has done for us while we are still vulnerable in a state of sin and shame. We can love, because he first loved us.