With a big smile and his large hand stretched out toward mine, “So good to see you.” I had not seen this fellow-minister in a couple of years. After telling me what he had been doing, he inquired how I was doing and what I was doing. “I’m doing fine and currently…” Before I finished my sentence, he glimpsed another individual approaching, immediately turned, again stuck out his hand, “so good to see you”, and completely turned his back toward me with the completion of my answer was still on the tip of my tongue. He soon walked away without turning back to me.
I had forced myself to attend this particular function, because it was during a time when I was struggling with my depression. As you can imagine, this incident did not help in the least. This ‘careless’ encounter just further confirmed for me that nobody really cared. A country song in the early 90’s was titled, Here’s a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares). Essentially, the song says, I don’t care, find someone who does. I imagine we would all have a pocket full of money, if we received a quarter from everyone that we have met with a big smile, outstretched hand, a polite greeting, but really did not care.
During one period of my life, I became personally familiar with the term ‘burned out’. It can be called by numerous names, but for me it meant I had given all I had to give and nothing was left. My emotional, spiritual, and physical ‘fuel-tank’ was empty. Making it worst, I believed no one cared—not even my family. It was at my lowest point that I forced myself to read a few scriptures. One part of one verse that I could even quote from memory beamed out at me like a huge spotlight. In all the times I had read it, I never took to heart the five most important words; casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7). This short phrase said to me, “It does not matter if no one else in the entire world cares about you. What you need to know is that I care for you.” Wow! This was like a bright dawn after a stormy night. God cared about me!
I am thankful I have a loving family around me—my wife, three children and their families. I praise the LORD that He has helped me control my depression. Yet, I know some of you reading this feel totally alone and believe nobody cares. Probably, the loneliest place to be on earth is depression. It does not matter that you are physically surrounded by loved ones. In your mind, they are at a distance and really do not care anyway. But you do not have to be depressed to feel alone and that no one cares. It could be that your spouse is away on a business assignment or serving in the military, or your children are grown and moved away. You may be single by choice, death, or divorce. If you are introverted like me, you do not easily meet and establish friendly relationships. Your phone never rings with the voice of someone wanting to know how you are doing. Your email is filled with junk, spam, and advertisement, but not one from someone thinking about you. It is easy to wonder if anyone cares.
Increasing we live in a world that does not care. To the government and many employers, we are at best a number. Too often, people we call friends, care just as long as we benefit them. You can attend a large church, get lost in the crowd, and no one knows your name. When we get overwhelmed with life, it is not a great leap to begin wondering if God even cares. After all, there are 6.5 billion people in the world—maybe He just overlooked me.
I love the illustration Jesus taught about the Father’s attention to detail. People could buy a pair of sparrows for one cent. If they purchased two pair, the seller gave a fifth one free—literally of no value. Yet, God noticed. Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows (Luke 12:6, 7). It would not matter if there were 20 trillion people on earth, God does not overlook anyone, and He cares for you.
The word Peter uses for cares tells the depth of His concern. It is a simple word but loaded with meaning. Note these definitions. With affection care, He is watching you. It says you are of interest to Him; you are an object of His attention, love, thoughtfulness, and forethought. He is concerned about your welfare. His care is not merely passive words but an active caring for you.
Two groups of people will read this. First are those who are confident that God and other people care for them. You are blessed. This week help someone else. Reach out your hand with a big smile and ask them how they are doing, and listen until they complete their answer. The second group is those who are feeling that no one cares, not even God. But note, even Jesus’ disciples once asked Him in the midst of a storm Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing? He did not scold them or respond with a passive, “Sure, I care.” Rather, He demonstrated His care by rebuking the storm. Ask Him to stop your storm.
Sustaining Word for the Week:
He cares for you. “It does not matter if no one else in the entire world cares about you. What you need to know is that I care for you.”