Exhortation – Who Really Cares?

Cemented firmly on the high tur­rets of a cathedral is a monument to working men who really cared.

Plans had been made for an extension to the existing cathedral, but swallows had other plans. They had decided that the crevice on the north wall would be the ideal location for building their nests. In this high dwelling place, they would give life to their families. The workmen, realizing what was happening, delayed their plans for that section of the wall until the eggs were hatched and the newborn had taken flight.

To commemorate this gesture of the workmen who really cared, a nest, with the parents and the young, was sculptured out of stone and set in place of the original. The stonework stands today as a continuing exhortation to the spirit of caring.

A greater exhortation

A similar exhortation was given from the cross. “Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.” (John 19:26-27)

The Lord Jesus is the headstone of the house of God; he provides the guidelines for building all the rest of the structure. One of these guidelines concerns caring for the needs of one another. Even in the midst of his agony and the climax of his work of redemption, he remembered the problems his mother would now face and he cared for her.

In the young ecclesia

Caring was one of the first priorities that had to receive attention in the survival of the young ecclesia in Jerusalem. The preaching of the gospel was so effective that numbers were added daily. However, trouble arose for, “in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecian’s against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.” (Acts 6:1)

Guided by the example of their Lord, the apostles did not neglect the problem. They urged that a committee of those who were “full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom” should be appointed to administer the matter.

The example of Paul

The apostle to the Gentiles saw the great need for the Truth to be put into action. When writing to the ecclesia at Corinth, he apologized for being foolish in narrating all the things he had done for the work of the Truth. Having listed all his hazardous experiences, he went on to write: “Besides those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.” (II Cor. 11:28) This commitment took up most of his time as he visited, preached and never forgot those of the household in his constant prayers. The power of his preaching was in word and deed.

Care for Onesimus

Paul’s private letter to Philemon reveals the great heart of this man in caring for all people. At the same time, he gave thanks for those who cared for him in his times of loneliness and hardship. “I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers.” (Phil. v.4)

In his letter, Paul appeals to Philemon to take back Onesimus, a slave who had absconded with some of Philemon’s money and had fled to Rome. Onesimus thought that life owed him more than he had. After his money had gone, his path led to Paul’s lodging place in Rome.

How could this young man, with the mark of a runaway slave, have the doors of Paul’s house opened to him? How had the bridge been built to give him the courage to walk past the Roman guards and enter into the lodgings of a friend of his former master?

Could it be that during Paul’s visit to Philemon, Onesimus had silently observed the actions of this man of God? Did he see in Paul the spirit of a slave as the apostle acted as the slave of Christ? And had Onesimus noted how Paul had time to converse with some other slave in the household, urging the slave to do his duties as he would have others serve him? Had he noticed how the apostle had time for all people alike whether they were rich or poor, bond or free, male or female? Whatever Onesimus had seen reassured him that Paul was a man who cared for the needs of others.

How wonderful is the full expression of caring when we see the apostle take this young man and adopt him as his son in the faith: “I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds.” (Phil. v.10)

The name Onesimus means “profitable, useful” and the apostle proceeds to make a play on the meaning of his name. He reminds Philemon that this slave was once profitable in his house. Now he will be even more profitable, not only to Philemon but also to the household of God.

Care for all the household

In Gal. 5:13, we are told: “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.” The ecclesia we belong to is our ecclesia. Its members have been given into our care. Under all conditions, we must strive to have the compassion of Christ so that we minister to the needs of all men. As Paul’s door was open to Onesimus, we must keep the door of our hearts open to others, encouraging them to come to us in confidence to discuss their problems and difficulties in life.

The is the way of the cross which must come before the crown. The nest was being built and the workmen showed patience, understanding and care.

Close to us are those who are building not nests but characters so that they might be apart of the temple of God. Who really cares? The disciple who desires to see his brother enter the house of God and dwell therein forever. Such a caring person can be comforted himself, for if his heart is full of godly compassion, he, too, will be remembered by his Creator and a place will be reserved for him in the temple of God.