The Cup of Care

The Cup of Care

I am the person who cares for your kids but can’t swim in your pool
Who rides in the back of a truck to make your garden pretty
Who sleeps in a dormitory while I build your home
Who clears the table when you just walk off
Who keeps your place safe, night and day
Who sells you a ticket that I cannot afford
Who drives the taxi to take you to a party
Who takes the trash from your office.
You look at me …
but
do you see me?

Old Testament Israel was the special people of God. They were his church. They had been chosen, rescued, provided for and covenanted with by God. Another people were ejected from the promised land for them to move in. They alone had these privileges.

When we feel special, it is easy to be arrogant, dismissive and oblivious to others. We may even start to think that we deserve our position and that others are fortunate to know us. When this feeling of being special has a religious motive it can become very ugly.

Deuteronomy puts us in our place. Israel was privileged because God loved her, not because of her qualities (7:7-8). She only possessed the land because the Canaanites sinned (9:4-6) and she would lose it if she did the same (4:25-28). Israel was his chosen people, but God made all and was partial to none (10:14&17).

God ‘sees’ the orphan, widow and alien – the three main categories of marginalised people at the time (10:18). God not only saw them, but he was their champion. Israel was the chosen people, but she was not the only people. Witness for example, his provision for care of the needy in his law. Part of this provision was that God’s chosen people were to love and care for them – remembering that they were once in the same position (10:19-22).

Let’s ‘see’ such people and pour them a cup of care in God’s name, for this is pure religion and is a service to our Lord himself (Jas 1:27; Mat 25:40). We are a special people, but the responsibility equals our privilege.

Do you see me?
God does.