Boundaries in Caring

Following Jesus's example for a healthy balance

No one showed more care for people than Jesus. He healed, taught and spent time mentoring His closest disciples while on earth. Jesus’ three years of active ministry seem like a complete whirlwind. But was it? Despite the constant demands on Jesus, He often slipped away by Himself to pray. In our desire to care for others, we also need to know how to set boundaries. Allan Beeber has learned how to do this while caring for an autistic family member.

Listen to Allan:

Sometimes, it is okay to say “no.” At times, we need to find the balance between our needs and the needs of others. Jesus experienced this. When He heard about the death of John the Baptist, Jesus tried to withdraw to a solitary place. But this time, the crowd followed. He had compassion on them and miraculously fed more than 5,000. But afterward, Jesus knew what He needed: to go up on a mountain to be alone and grieve before God. Jesus was intentional in how He cared for others and about finding times to be refreshed. We can learn from Jesus’ example by making time for both others and ourselves.

Application Question:

• Allan says that "prayer, care, share," can be impactful in loving others. Specifically, he says you could meet a few needs because it is important to have proper boundaries. Is there someone you can care for today? How can you have a healthy balance between your needs and the needs of others?
  

Conclusion

In the middle of Proverbs 22, there is a powerful verse. It is almost as if Solomon called a time out to remind the reader why he gives these life lessons. It says, “I am teaching you today — yes, you — so you will trust in the Lord” (NLT). That is it. God uses life lessons to build our trust. Our prayer is that these five days spent learning about Loving Others with Compassion are a reminder to do that — to increase your trust in Him.

Next Steps

Making Your Life Count has other YouVersion Bible App plans that cover the four areas of WALK, PRAY, CARE, and SHARE. You can also view all of our plans in the Bible App.

Take Action

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