Dear Friends of Christian Concourse,
It does not escape us what a blessing it is that we have friends who are sympathetic towards the work we are pursuing in this humble nursing home ministry. We are reminded often in our communications with you that your sympathies are inspired by your love for us and for those to whom we seek to minister. Your love for us is expressed by the warmth of your attitude when we receive feedback from you about our work. Your love is expressed when you share of your own freewill in our financial needs. Indeed, your love is expressed for those whom we seek to benefit spiritually and emotionally by your consideration for them when you support us. We thank you for helping us help them. It is to their plight we wish to point any and all who will give us an ear.
The elderly and infirm among us are just like us in so many ways. They have feelings. They like some foods and dislike others. They get confused about things that are new or surprising. They have nights when they don’t sleep well. They have important people in their lives, like loved ones or neighbors or doctors who sometimes don’t seem to understand them, or worse, don’t care. Mechanical things break down that they have no knowledge or ability to fix. If they get their thumb caught in a door it really hurts.
Also, as a result, ultimately, of sin in the world, all of us can relate to the suffering of the human condition. All of us, including the elderly and infirm, are familiar with deep emotional pain. Each of us understands loneliness. Each of us knows the monstrous hurt of broken relationships. Each of us knows the weight of wrong-doing we have done that we cannot undo. These lists are very long!
Though all of us can relate to physical and emotional pain, we think it is important to understand that the depths of misery and regret that age and sickness impose on a person are unique. We can relate to these realities of suffering in others but we must consider how much more intense the pain is when experienced in the pressure cooker of the helplessness of advanced age and chronic illness.
Hopefully, you are anticipating our point: the comfort and support and encouragement that each of us can give our vulnerable elderly and infirm brothers and sisters is priceless! And it is something that is very close to our Savior’s heart. God Almighty is asking us to care for those who cannot care for themselves.
And the King shall answer and say unto them, “Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Matthew 25:40
What a sobering thing to reckon with our responsibilities before Jesus Christ to those less fortunate around us. Certainly, you demonstrate an understanding of our Lord’s heart for the hurting by your friendship with this mission to the elderly and infirm. However, if you are like me, sometimes you feel inadequate in dealing with the less fortunate around us. We may feel we need help in addressing the suffering of the needy, the elderly, and the sick. We can ask the King to strengthen us…to give us more love for Him and for His children! Look around and consider if there is one who is hurting whom He has brought across your path that He may want you to be a blessing to. We can look at what the Master has put in our hand…and share it! When we do reach out to them both of us are blessed!
Love in Christ,
Jerry and Dar Johnson