We are Caretakers
Before I moved to my apartment home in this new 55+ community, the question was if I should select an apartment on the fourth floor so I would have a view of a forest of trees which I assumed was a wildlife habitat. But instead, I chose the first-floor apartment for easy access getting in and out of the building to my car. I’m so glad I chose the latter. It has been very convenient.
In what I thought was a wildlife habitat, it was a surprise when I started seeing trees being cut down by big and loud earthmoving equipment a few weeks ago. The new Texas Children’s Hospital (535,000 sq ft to be completed by 2024) is being built. I overheard my neighbors – not in despair about the trees going, but about the deer family whose lives had been threatened by the changes to their habitat. We are hoping that they were captured and freed in another safe place. My neighbors revealed their hearts for being caretakers of God’s creation.
Where am I going with this blog today? I’m going with the flow. I’m doing my best to stay positive about the beautiful help for children that will be accomplished at the hospital. No, I don’t enjoy the noise behind me that will probably continue for some time. I have a choice to whine and complain OR I can take care of my mental state by putting in ear plugs or up the sound of music. I’m going to be a “caretaker” of me and my mindset. I will not be a skeptic. In fact, I’m already thinking about carrying on my volunteer work here like I did at Children’s Hospital in Frisco. Talk about handy to get to!!!
Did you know that God promises to bestow special blessings on those who are caretakers? Actually, this blog comes from the concern my neighbors had for that deer family. It occurred to me that we shouldn’t stop with concern for part of God’s creation. We should be concerned for His most beloved creation, you and me and all His children – to be willing to put our own needs aside to help others.
I am blessed to live in this community where God’s character and nature is seen in most everyone who lives here. There are those who can’t help themselves. They are caretakers. They are always offering to help to do this or that — like taking another neighbor to the store or the doctor or to church with them. Others give foreign language classes, craft classes, Bible Study classes, and so many other ways of being caretakers (also known as “caregivers”). We encourage each other.
Being a caretaker isn’t very glamorous, but we are doing work that I believe God assigns us. We may not realize that the little things are important to Him, but He gave this example for us in Matthew 25:40 ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
We are God’s caretakers! God doesn’t need us to take care of Him, but He does need us to care for what belongs to Him on this earth. God created us to manage his belongings. Maybe we can’t do everything, but we can be His hands and feet on the earth to do something as we go about doing His will.