Don't Forget Them

Last week, I shared a little about Hebrews 13:3, “Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.” As I was reading this chapter recently, I noticed a link between that verse and another one farther down. Hebrews 13:16 says:

And do not forget to do good and share with those who are in need, for these are also sacrificial gifts that make Creator’s heart glad. (FNV)

Verse 3 challenges us to remember those who are imprisoned and being mistreated. Then, verse 16 calls us not to forget to do good and be generous to people in need.

Remember these people. Don’t forget them.

Now, I think “remembering” and “not forgetting” are talking about more than a mental activity. When someone asks you to “go to the store,” they don’t want you to travel to the store, turn around, and come home. There are several other, unspoken steps implied in “go to the store”: enter the building, find the items on the list, purchase those things, bring them home. I think that’s also true for “remember.” It implies seeking people out, learning what they need, and 'doing good and sharing'—as well as remembering them in your prayers.

And yet, how often do we fail to love and serve our neighbors because we simply and literally forgot about them?

People eating lunch every day at the soup kitchen in a part of town you usually avoid.

Those who suffer behind closed doors, away from prying eyes—children or spouses suffering from neglect or abuse.

A friend who once mentioned a struggle with suicidal thoughts, who you’d just assumed has gotten over it by now.

Out of sight, out of mind, right? Life’s so busy, things are always falling through the cracks. If you can forget to call your Dad on Father’s Day—sorry again, Dad!—you can certainly forget about people whose situations and needs rarely (if ever!) intersect with your daily life.

Remember these people. Don’t forget them. That may mean more than ‘recalling that they exist’—but that is step one, without which you’ll never do them a lick of good.

Remembering things is not a strength of mine. Special occasions, urgent tasks, important meetings? You might as well ask me my 8^th grade locker combination.

I do all kinds of things to compensate for that: I’ve carved out some consistent, daily routines, to get myself stuck in helpful ruts; I write things on my calendar; I keep a to-do list on the phone; I have daily and weekly alarms and reminders going off constantly. Because I’m naturally very forgetful, I use the tools I have to create an environment where forgetting is almost impossible.

What could help you remember these people and needs that would be so easy to forget? What tools, what sorts of reminders could you use to keep people and situations that are out of sight in your mind?

Don’t forget to do good and share with those who are in need. That kind of sacrificial love touches God’s heart.

You can also listen to this week's devotional right here: