How can we reflect God's love to those "no eye cared for" today? Key Verse Ezekiel 16:5: “No one looked on you with pity or compassion to do any of these things for you. Instead, you were thrown out into the open field, because you were despised on the day of your birth.” God’s Compassion Revealed • In Ezekiel 16 God pictures Israel as an unwanted infant, abandoned and helpless, yet He says, “I passed by you and saw you kicking about in your blood, and I said to you, ‘Live!’” (v. 6). • The Lord’s initiative—seeing, stopping, lifting, and loving—sets the pattern for how His people treat the overlooked. • Because Scripture is true and literal, the same God who rescued Israel now calls us to act with identical mercy toward those the world ignores. Who Are the “Uncared-for” Today? • The homeless person pushed to the side of the sidewalk • The elderly neighbor whose family never visits • Children in foster care or group homes • Inmates and ex-offenders re-entering society • The refugee, the addict, the teen who feels invisible at school Matthew 25:40 reminds us that serving “the least of these” is serving Christ Himself. Steps to Reflect God’s Love 1. Notice Intentionally • Slow down, make eye contact, greet by name (Luke 10:33). 2. Listen Compassionately • Give undivided attention; let stories be told without rushing (James 1:19). 3. Meet Tangible Needs • Share meals, clothing, transportation, or shelter (Isaiah 58:7; 1 John 3:17-18). 4. Advocate Courageously • Speak up when voices are ignored, defend their rights (Proverbs 31:8-9). 5. Invite Into Community • Offer a seat at your table, a place in your small group, inclusion in worship (Psalm 68:6; Luke 14:13-14). 6. Point to Christ Clearly • Explain that the same Savior who saw and rescued Israel now offers eternal life and daily hope (John 3:16; Romans 5:8). Additional Scriptures for Depth • Psalm 27:10 — “Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.” • James 1:27 — “Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” • 1 John 4:19 — “We love because He first loved us.” Living It Out Because God literally stepped into Israel’s abandonment and ours, we now step toward those society overlooks. By seeing, listening, serving, advocating, inviting, and pointing to Christ, we mirror the heart of the One who declared, “Live!” |
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