Be Devoted to One Another
Jackie Whipple
Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourself.
Romans 12:10
Sitting beside the hospital bed with my neighbor, Ivaree (91), as she recoups from surgery following a fall at home, I’m reminded that each day is a gift and life is fleeting.
She’s mostly homebound, so I visit her every day and help where I can. I love to listen to her stories of her growing up years, her love for her beloved husband who died at age 67, or life with her six kids.
God has given Ivaree to us as a ‘mother’ figure. Since Darrell was military, we never lived in the same town with our parents (who are now in Heaven). We have been given the gift of ministering to Ivaree. She’s hard of hearing and sight deficient. So, we listen and talk VERY loudly. I read scriptures and pray with her. Hardly a time goes by that after a visit she hasn’t given us food or an item she doesn’t need. These are the little things friends do for one another.
So how are you blessing others? When you have children still at home, it is so all consuming and it can be difficult to think of others. What can ‘little ole me do’?
- Make a quick phone call or send a text to brighten the day for others and let them know they aren’t alone.
- Arrange a play day with another mother or give her a break while you take the kids to the park or get some ice cream.
Others need your encouragement and you need encouragement from others.
Don’t hesitate to ask for assistance. No one knows what you are experiencing unless you share your struggles. We all need insight into how others handle the ups/downs of life.
Through all the different ages and stages of being a mom two things are true. We need each other and God is faithful through it all.
Many moms have kids who moved back home or they find themselves raising their grandchildren. One such precious lady said as a teenager she had asked the Lord to give her 6 kids. Now she has some adult kids and their children living with her and she is loving it. God’s timing…
For your own devotion or ‘sanity’, be faithful to spend time with God. With busy families you might only have time to read a scripture verse or play praise music and dance with your children.
Write scriptures and/or ‘I love _____’ and put them on your kid’s closet door, bathroom mirror, on the milk carton, or inside their lunchbox.
And, share your testimony with others, especially your families.
My favorite scripture is 1 Corinthians 10:13.
No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful; He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide the way out so that you may be able to bear it.
Let’s talk about it….
- How are you growing spiritually? To invest in others, we need to take care of ourselves and share what we are learning.
- Put yourself in the place of someone who is working hard and sometimes overlooked. How could you bless them? Be it a friend, another mother, or your family.
- How do you celebrate the big and little achievements of your family or “just because”? Think out of the box.
