Why Do We Do It?

 

Why Do We Do It?

 

Remember this, God loves the person you have to care for

All of us will have times we need to lay down everything and serve Him

When He asked us to do nothing

Because His nothing is always an expression of Love

And that is SOMETHING

Let this be an encouraging word to all the caregivers

Those who care for someone who can no longer be productive

God loves everyone even those with Dementia and Alzheimer

Those whose lives are coming to an end

If you are caring for one of these people, know this

You are the conduit for God to show His love

Be at peace in allowing the love of Christ to flow through you

 

 

Why Do We Do It?

 

Most of us are goal oriented.

 

What we think and do is for some type of gain.

 

I have worked hard for years to

afford a second home in Florida.

 

Although I have not been able to attain that goal…

 

 God has had a place in Florida

for us to use every year for decades.

 

Achievement, reward, payment are all good things.

 

For even when we were with you,

we would give you this command:

If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.

2 Thessalonians 3:10 ESV

 

God rewards work.

 

"Behold, I am coming soon!

My reward is with me,

and I will give to everyone according

to what he has done.

Revelation 22:12

 

Paul in writing to the Corinthian believers said…

 

Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm.

 Let nothing move you.

 Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord,

because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

1 Corinthians 15:58

 

Sandy and I were asked to care for my niece’s mother

so my nephew, niece, and their two boys

could take a much needed family vacation.

 

My niece, Stacy, has to give her mother

round the clock care because

her mother, Kathy, has Dementia.

 

When we were asked to come care for Kathy,

we immediately felt overwhelmed.

 

We had many responsibilities at home,

and to be gone 10 days meant…

 

There were going to be things I could not do

to save us money and work I could not do,

 that would make us money.

 

There was the concern of giving Kathy

the care she needed.

 

Sandy and I have almost no experience

in caring for a person with Dementia.

 

Despite being overwhelmed…

 

 We felt to go was the right thing to do.

 

Stacy’s mom is a sweet lady

and can forget who you are.

 

 She has always beamed with a bright smile

when she sees us.

 

Each day Sandy helped Kathy

get dressed and prepare her meals.

 

Three times a day she needed to take her pills…

 

 But she could not remember how to take them.

 

Each pill took several minutes of coaching…

 

Sometimes for her to only spit it out and

the process had to be repeated.

 

We did puzzles made for people with Alzheimer.

 

These were very simple.

 

 One of these, was a set of six puzzles.

 

Each puzzle had different shapes,

like a star or a circle, etc.

 

The one day she did two puzzles very quickly

 but after that she could not do the others.

 

She liked to play pool.

 

 The first time I played with her…

 

I gave her the pool stick and

she went to the decorations on a table

and I had to take the stick before

she took a shot at one of them.

 

She could not identify the white ball

so she shot whatever was in front of her.

 

Although she could not remember how to play,

 she loved shooting the balls with me.

 

I have said for years…

 The greatest thing God created us with

is the brain.

 

With it we think, dream,

solve problems, make choices.

 

Out of all the others parts of the body,

 the brain is the greatest.

 

But those with Dementia and Alzheimer suffer

with a loss of these great things the brain can do.

 

Sandy and I are fairly educated people.

 

We have organized and accomplished many

things with the skills of our brains.

 

We enjoy helping people become productive.

 

We love to teach and share

our knowledge and mental skills.

 

The reward of seeing someone prosper

from our input is thrilling.

 

  At the end of our trip caring for Kathy

I had a wonderful peace.

 

We spent our days helping a person who

would not remember what we had done.

 

The puzzles and other exercises

would not make her better and

a productive part of society.

 

It might even be seen as a waste of our time.

 

But somehow I felt a reward for caring for Kathy

as great as times I preached in large auditoriums

to a large group of people.

 

Why?

 

 What made this labor that would

not be remembered worth it?

 

It is found in one word…

 

 Love

 

God asked us to do one thing in life…

 

Love God and love each other.

 

Our example is found in God…

 

Because God is love.

 

To be God’s love to Kathy is indiscernible.

 

To know God loves Kathy so much…

 

 Even though she can no longer be productive.

 

She will not remember the labor to make

her life the best we can or that God can.

 

God took us from all the other places

that paid out great rewards

and used us to show Kathy God’s love.

 

I can’t tell you…

 

I can’t measure the value and reward I feel.

If love is like water…

 

 Than an ocean of God’s love

flowed through me to Kathy.

 

I got to experience God’s love

that required nothing on Kathy’s part.

 

At the end of our stay, Kathy

was able to string together a few words.

 

She said to Sandy,

as she pointed to the other room

where I was, and said…

 

 “That man, and you,

I really like both of you”.

 

In my early 20’s, before

I started full time ministry as a pastor,

 God asked me a question…

 

“Would you serve me if I asked you to do nothing

for the rest of your life?”

 

I took this question very seriously

as I love work and accomplishment.

 

I fasted and meditated for days

before I came back to the Lord

with my answer of “Yes”.

 

Shortly after I gave my answer to the Lord…

 

 I was ask to leave my job at Jeep

to serve full time in the church.

 

The young man, woman or couple I counseled

who had their whole life ahead of them

to make a difference in the world…

 

 I gave the same thing as I did to Kathy

who has no future in this life.

 

I gave them God’s love.

 

 There is no greater joy than to

know God’s love and give it to others.

 

You can’t waste God’s love

because it is always more than enough.

 

If you are a gifted person, like my niece, Stacy,

 who had made companies millions of dollars.

 

Or, who is active in serving in the church,

singing on the stage and

opening her home to life groups.

 

And you find yourself like Kathy,

unable to do those things

we think are so big and great…

 

The things that get you approval from others.

 

Remember this…

 

 God loves the person you have to care for.

 

All of us will have times

we need to lay down everything

and serve Him

when He  asked us to do nothing.

 

Because His nothing is

always an expression of love…

 

And that is SOMETHING.

 

 

 

Scripture Reading

 

John 15:13-17 NIV

 

3 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit — fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other.

 

 

1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV

 

58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

 

 

 

Revelation 22:12-13 NIV

 

12 "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.