Imagine the sudden weight of responsibility as you realize a loved one — a parent slipping into dementia, a child with special needs or a disabled family member — can no longer care for his or herself. The questions are overwhelming, the decisions heart-wrenching. If you’re like most, you’ve entered this chapter unprepared, grappling for wisdom to help you make sense of it all.
Yet, there’s hope: God’s Word provides both assurance and direction for these moments. Let’s look into Scripture to see what God says about caretaking that will help you respond to those in need.
Honoring and caring: a biblical command
Caring for parents and those in need isn’t just an act of kindness — it’s a foundational biblical command. From the earliest laws given to Israel to Jesus’ teachings and the apostles’ writings, Scripture consistently calls God’s people to show honor, respect and compassion, particularly to the vulnerable.
A call to honor
When God gave the law to Israel, he commanded, “Honor your father and your mother” (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16). This principle was reinforced throughout the Old Testament, emphasizing the importance of respecting elders. God warned, “Cursed be anyone who dishonors his father or his mother” (Deuteronomy 27:16). He even described Israel’s future enemies as a “nation who shall not respect the old or show mercy to the young” (Deuteronomy 28:50), underscoring the significance of generational care.
But God’s law extends beyond family relationships. His commands also emphasize compassion for the vulnerable. Leviticus 19 urges his people to act justly, care for the less fortunate and deal honestly with one another. The heart of these instructions is summed up in “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18).
“Each moment spent caring for aging parents, children and those with special needs is more than an act of kindness — it is a reflection of your love and devotion to God.”
Jesus’ reinforcement of the law
Centuries later, when Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment, he declared that loving one’s neighbor is second only to loving God (Matthew 22:36-40; Mark 12:29-31). A lawyer pressed him further, asking, “Who is my neighbor?” In response, Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan, illustrating that a neighbor is anyone in need whom we can help (Luke 10:25-37).
Jesus also reaffirmed the command to honor one’s parents (Matthew 19:19) and rebuked the Pharisees for placing traditions above this responsibility (Mark 7:1-13). His teachings made it clear that honoring parents and caring for the needy were central to a life of faith.
The apostles echoed Jesus’ teachings. Paul instructed children, “Obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right” (Ephesians 6:1-3), directly linking obedience to honoring father and mother. In 1 Timothy 5:3-16, Paul told believers to “honor widows,” alluding to the same command from Exodus and Deuteronomy.
Beyond family, Paul emphasized that love fulfills the law: “All the commandments are summed up in this word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Romans 13:8-10; Galatians 5:13-14). James, too, called this the “royal law” of Scripture (James 2:1-9), adding that true, undefiled religion includes visiting orphans and widows in their affliction (James 1:27).
From the Old Testament to the New, the call is clear: honoring parents and caring for the vulnerable is not optional — it’s at the heart of God’s law and his love.
Your acts of care reflect love and respect for God
God’s commands are not arbitrary; they flow from his nature. He calls his people to holiness, shaping us to reflect his character (Leviticus 11:45; Matthew 5:43-48; 1 Peter 1:15-16).
Jesus linked obedience with love for him, saying, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15; see also 1 John 5:3; 2 John 6). Loving God and loving our neighbor are inseparable — Jesus made that clear when he named these as the greatest commandments (Matthew 22:37, 39).
When we care for those who cannot care for themselves, we not only reflect God’s heart but also deepen our relationship with him. All people, including the most vulnerable, bear God’s image (Genesis 1:27), and how we treat them matters to him. Jesus emphasized this when he said, “As you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40). Each moment spent caring for aging parents, children and those with special needs is more than an act of kindness — it is a reflection of your love and devotion to God.
You’re not alone, families and the church share responsibility for caretaking
Paul’s first letter to Timothy provides guidance on caring for those in need. When Paul left Timothy in charge of the Ephesian church, he instructed him to ensure the care of widows. He wrote that the church should “honor widows who are truly widows” (1 Timothy 5:3, 16). A “true widow” was a woman who had lost her husband, had no family to support her and was entirely alone (5:4-5).
Without social security or modern welfare systems, widows in Ephesus had little means of support. Paul seems to have worked with the church to establish an organized system to care for them, likely through financial and practical assistance. He made it clear that the church had a role in supporting those who could not provide for themselves.
However, Paul also emphasized that family members should take primary responsibility for their relatives in need. Children and grandchildren should “learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God” (1 Timothy 5:4). He further stated, “If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (5:8).
Of course, not every situation fits neatly into these guidelines. What if a widow’s only family members are unbelievers? What if a church lacks the resources to provide adequate support? Paul does not address every scenario, but he makes the principle clear: families and the church both have a responsibility to care for those in need, with each stepping in where necessary. While this passage focuses on widows, the same principle logically applies to children, orphans and those with special needs.
You have a model: look to Jesus and the early church
Even in his final moments, Jesus demonstrated the importance of honoring and providing for family. As he hung on the cross, he saw his mother standing nearby with “the disciple whom he loved” — almost certainly the apostle John. Jesus told Mary, “Woman, behold, your son!” and said to John, “Behold, your mother!” (John 19:26-27). In this moment, he entrusted John with his mother’s care, ensuring she would be provided for after his death.
The early church followed Jesus’ example. In Acts 6, Luke describes how the church in Jerusalem implemented a “daily distribution” to support widows and others in need. The apostles even appointed seven men to oversee this ministry, showing that caring for the vulnerable was a priority. As discussed earlier, Paul encouraged similar systems in the Ephesian church.
These efforts aligned with both biblical commands and Jesus’ teachings. The early church took seriously the call to “honor your father and your mother” and “love your neighbor as yourself.” Beyond widows, the New Testament also emphasizes care for orphans (James 1:27), prisoners (Matthew 25:36; Hebrews 10:34) and the sick (Matthew 25:36; Acts 28:8; Galatians 4:14).
A divine calling
Caring for those who cannot care for themselves can be challenging — physically, emotionally and financially. It can be overwhelming and complicated. Yet, Scripture leaves no doubt: providing for the vulnerable is both a responsibility and a divine calling.
God does not call us to this task without also equipping us. As we step into this work, we will find that his grace is always sufficient. Through caregiving, we reflect his love, fulfill his commands and experience his transformative power in our own lives.
