True Christian living requires us to live according to Kingdom standards which bring Heaven to earth.
Everyone wants to feel good. Persons who feel good are enthusiastic, energetic, interested in the world around them, and are a joy to be around.
The most glorious goal is to aid everyone to reach this blessed state of feeling really good.
Living beings – people, animals, and plants – all exhibit many signs which can tell us whether or not they are doing well. A child laughing and frolicking with his frisky puppy on lush green grass is showing many signs of fun and happiness. A fruit tree, full, and covered with beautiful blossoms in the spring, is showing that its needs for sunlight, water, minerals, and absence of disease are well met.
Most of the time signs of compromised well-being are also readily apparent. A sick child, or a malnourished puppy certainly don’t feel really good. A fruit tree with no blossoms or leaf buds in the spring is having problems, for sure!
Living organisms are extremely complex, having a multitude of needs in a multitude of areas. All depend upon their environment to meet these, especially needs they have no way of meeting themselves. Lacks – or excesses – in any of these areas invariably causes some kind of stress, strain, or malfunction. Good system functioning is disturbed to a greater or lesser extent. The living being is disquieted and feels bad. Sometimes, the reason someone feels bad is readily apparent. Obviously, a person with pneumonia, for example, feels miserable! On the other hand, inner pain, such as that of loneliness or extreme boredom, can usually only be known by becoming well-acquainted with the person or animal.
Of course, human beings need to be trying their best live within the will of God, with all that implies, in order to have inner peace. Living lives of real integrity is basic!
Our Purpose and Role
We are all caretakers of someone or something. The first (in time) command given by God to mankind was that man should be a steward of the earth. A steward is not the owner. A steward is a caretaker who is responsible for caring out the owner’s wishes. Man is directed to take good care of the earth and the animals and plants on it. Whoever we are, we usually have someone or something to take care of. How we do so makes a vital difference to the well-being of those we are responsible for.
Good caretaking involves actively fostering and enhancing total well-being. When the persons are already doing well, the caretaking task is relatively easy, but still requires real commitment and diligence.
On the other hand, when a person is not doing well, the task usually is a great deal more challenging. A “quick fix” is usually worthless. Or, even worse, a “quick fix” may produce short-term, desirable results of spurious value, while driving the real need underground, only to erupt later. We need to do a truely good job!
The important goal is not only to remove behaviors or conditions that irritate others, or that are somehow undesirable, but it is to restore true well-being to the person or animal with the problem. Usually, nothing short of a thorough, comprehensive familiarity with the various facets of the individual’s life can reveal factors and influences that need changing. Human and animal persons need to feel good physically. They need to develop and use their skills in ways meaningful to them. For instance, I’ve been informed that a dog needs to have his own job around the house that he can routinely do. My dog knows it is her job to accompany me to the mailbox, so I always grab a leash and include her. It makes her happy. It makes her feel a real part of the family. She always gets eager when it’s time. Persons need kind, wholesome, interesting social relationships. They need past hurts understood and healed with gentleness and love.
True nurturance done by gentle, loving caretakers, in the finest sense, helps human and animal persons, as well as plants, “blossom.” They often need it to become the best that they can be. They then exude energy and enthusiasm. They are glad to cooperate. They are a joy to be around. They “come back around” to bring tremendous satisfaction and blessing to the caretaker. Sure worth it!!!
The Caring Heart Motto
“Gentle Strokes For Precious Plants, Animals, and Folks”
Dr Joyce at [email protected]
Go on to: Living in the Promises of God - Part 1 - Overcoming
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