• Blog
    • All Posts
    • Write for Salt + Sparrow
    • Contributors
  • Spiritual Growth
    • Personal Testimonies
    • Spiritual Growth Scriptures
  • Devotionals
    • Bible Studies
    • Prayers
  • Christian Lifestyle
    • Motherhood
    • Purpose
  • Christian Resources
    • Christian Blogging Tips

Salt + Sparrow

Jesus cares for all
Devotionals

Daily Devotional: Learning to Care For Others the Way Jesus Does

February 2, 2023

A prayer for today…

Father God, please open my heart to letting your love, your patience, and your forgiveness shine through. Please help me to be a blessing to those in need, and to find empathy, no matter how big or small their hardship may seem. Help me to find the words that show I care, and only give advice that stems from you. In your name, amen.


Not everyone’s problems will meet your personal criteria of “bad enough” compared to what you may have stumbled through in the past, or are currently navigating in your own life.

However, we are all on a unique journey and just because what someone else may be currently dealing with doesn’t seem to match up to your own pain, does not mean they are not suffering just as much; their hearts longing to be held and healed, every bit as much as ours.

My sweet son, my baby, has been on winter break for what feels like years now.

Today is the day they finally go back to school. I know he is beyond ready. He is a social creature, this one. But he is also nervous. He has voiced to me several times that it has been so long, he feels unsettled about going back.

I try to assure him that all will be well. But am I really just patronizing the poor child because I don’t really understand the impact of nerves at that stage of life? Have I unwittingly grown past my empathy for my own child?

No. I have not.

Yet, I think we all stand to fall into the category of not truly paying attention to the struggles our nearest and dearest are facing.

We just humanely put each life struggle into a convenient bucket of “minor hurt – will be fine,” “major issue – requires a lot of prayer,” or “not intense – check in on them, when have time.”

If others’ struggles do not metaphorically add up to our own on the self-appointed pain management scale, we tend to relegate them to the bottom of the backpack, only pulling them out to offer care and encouragement when it feels most convenient, in comparison to our own personal baggage claim of “hurts and stuff.”

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”

Matthew 6:25-27 niv

Isn’t it comforting to know that no matter how big or small our worries seem, there is a Savior that cares for them all?

From the most minuscule of molehills to the greatest pinnacle of mountains, Jesus cares and will attend to each and every prayer from His devoted children.

I do my best at showing empathy and kindness toward those struggling with life’s difficulties.

I often come up short, not knowing what to say, how to react, what services to offer, to voice my opinion or simply listen.

Yet, one thing we can do for each and every person in our sphere of life is to PRAY.

We are all on God’s radar as He cares for us and knows the struggles we individually face.

Daily Devotional by Manndi Wilkins

By lifting our loved ones up to Him, it infuses a certain amount of empathy in our own hearts, which I believe allows us to better handle those tender hurts others feel that we may not fully understand.

God wants nothing more than for us to love others with His heart.

The only way to truly do that is to know His heart.

A choice we make every single day, in our dedication to spend time with The Great Physician, the carer of every hurt and heartbreak, the healer of sufferings, from the biggest ache to the tiniest tender complaint.

They all matter to Him. And as such, they should matter to us as well.

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

1 peter 5:7 niv

When we “cast it all” upon the Lord of healing, hope, forgiveness, help, and deliverance, we not only feel the weight of life’s pain released in our own hearts, but we are better able to help others we may or may not have come into contact within this life.

Perspective may temporarily make us immune to the pain others currently feel, but a close relationship with the Lord will no doubt soften our hearts toward others’ hurts, and allow us to react with the kindest of intentions and purest of hearts, sharing Jesus’ healing hands with each person we encounter on the long and winding road of life.

0 Comments
Share
Manndi Wilkins

Manndi Maphies DeBoef works at the UMKC School of Pharmacy and as a freelance writer in her spare time. Her greatest passion is being a boy mom to her two rambunctious, creative, endearing sons, William, age 11 and Waylan, nearly 9. Her sons never fail to provide daily entertainment, which inspires many of her writings. She also loves to write about everything from being a single mom and dating after divorce to finding love later in life, the devastation of miscarriage, the loss of a loved one and starting over. Her pieces are lovingly filled with inspiration, encouragement and always a touch of humor. “Live a life others wish to read about.”

Leave a Comment Cancel Comment

You May Also Like

July 12, 2022

A Dream From God: The Flowers Will Return Again

September 9, 2021

Devotional: Adopting a Spirit of Power

March 9, 2023

Trusting in God, Even in the Mess

Grab your coffee and stay awhile

Welcome to Salt + Sparrow, a place where we learn about Jesus, the Bible, and find big faith in small things.

This. 💛 This. 💛
🙏🏻 #amen @fruitfulgirl 🙏🏻 #amen

@fruitfulgirl
Thankful for this truthful reminder from @biblesan Thankful for this truthful reminder from @biblesandcoffee 🙏🏻❤️

#bibleverse #bible #livingbyfaith
Best compliment ever 🙏🏻 @shelivesfreed #go Best compliment ever 🙏🏻 @shelivesfreed 

#godisgood #becauseofjesus #christiangirl #christianmom #faithblogger
Follow on Instagram

Currently Praying For

Currently Praying For

Nashville

Shop Our Favorites

Bible Study Tools

She Who Is - Christian Apparel

Christian Growth Hub

Truly Simply Healthy

Daily Grace Co.

Bible Studies

Blog

Recent Posts

  • black woman in prayer

    Jesus, I Trust In You

    March 28, 2023
  • Christian Blogger

    Christian Blogging 101: How to Get Started

    March 23, 2023
  • Jesus Revolution movie review

    Jesus Revolution Movie Review

    March 21, 2023
  1. Natasha on Christian Blogging 101: How to Get StartedMarch 26, 2023

    Hey Sandy! So glad you liked the post! Honestly - the biggest thing with publishing new posts is to be…

  2. Sandy Brannan on Christian Blogging 101: How to Get StartedMarch 26, 2023

    Very helpful! Thanks for writing this. What are your thoughts on how often a writer should post a new blog…

  3. Manndi on True Love Comes from GodMarch 10, 2023

    Thank you for the kind words, Sandy! So happy to see you (and your beautiful words) in this space!

  4. Helen on Get to Know the Author of the BibleMarch 7, 2023

    Great story comparison. We need our Bible every day to encourage us how to build our lives to please the…

  5. Sandy on True Love Comes from GodFebruary 15, 2023

    Breathtaking! Oh how He loves you and me! What a lovely way to share the love of Jesus.

Proverbs 16:16

"How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver!"

About

This. 💛 This. 💛
🙏🏻 #amen @fruitfulgirl 🙏🏻 #amen

@fruitfulgirl
Thankful for this truthful reminder from @biblesan Thankful for this truthful reminder from @biblesandcoffee 🙏🏻❤️

#bibleverse #bible #livingbyfaith
Best compliment ever 🙏🏻 @shelivesfreed #go Best compliment ever 🙏🏻 @shelivesfreed 

#godisgood #becauseofjesus #christiangirl #christianmom #faithblogger
Thanks for this reminder, @itskellydiane - I for o Thanks for this reminder, @itskellydiane - I for one needed it tonight ❤️

#christianmom #christianmomlife #christianmotherhood #faithfulmom #christianity
Follow on Instagram

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Disclaimer
  • Contributors

Copyright © 2023 Salt + Sparrow. All Rights Reserved.Site Powered by Pix & Hue.