Meditate on these figures for a moment and then ask yourself: “How many elderly and extremely sick people have survival plans set in place for possible calamities?
My guess: very few…maybe less than 5%.
Most elderly live on fixed incomes and small savings accounts. If they still live in their homes, the last few years have reduced their home equity, eliminating a possible financial life preserver. With today’s high medicine costs, utility bills, gasoline prices, and rising food costs, many struggle to stay afloat.
But if the elderly live in nursing homes or senior care facilities, the decisions for survival plans are out of their hands and depend on management’s thinking. And if you know anything about nursing homes and their finances, everything is cut close to the vest. No extras.
The extremely sick, those suffering from cancer, heart, kidney, diabetes and other major illnesses, have monstrous medical bills facing them each month. A large percentage of these live week to week, hoping to cover their medical expenses and eke out an existence.
…”And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” The second is this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these. (Mark 12:30-31)
I don’t see any wiggle room in these scriptures or in the dozens of others which reflect Jesus’ thoughts on loving people. There are no exceptions for the elderly or extremely sick. Thus, we believers are called to help them in calamities, right?
Now, what do you think is going to befall the elderly and extremely sick when a calamity hits?
They are not going to have enough medicine on hand. Or oxygen tanks will be empty. Or dialysis machines won’t work. Or whatever they need to survive will fail. Many might die unless we do something, but what?
And these signs will accompany those who believe… they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mark 16:17-18)
It doesn’t take great faith to lay hands on the elderly and extremely sick, it just takes simple obedience.
(Continued in Part 5)
