TEND: to cultivate, to teach, to pay attention to, to attend, to guard, protect, watch out for, to take care of, contribute to, direct or guide, inclined to action
Who is tending the newborn Babe? Only Mary? Did Joseph take his earthly Fatherly responsibilities seriously? Or, did he feel his duty was done when marrying her and passively passed off the responsibility of rearing Jesus to Mary? I somehow don’t think that is what he did for scripture tells us Jesus learned his earthly father’s carpentry trade. So Joseph stepped up and tended to his parental responsibilities. This is a lesson to be learned still to this very day for all. This artistic impression of the Shepherd tending the sheep and the Babe is a heartfelt reminder that we all must pay attention to tending:
- Tending to the needs of others takes the selfishness out of our heart
- Tending to our own needs sets boundaries, deepens faith, and leads to patterns of healthy living when done in between times of tending to others
- Tending to the family is a joint responsibility, especially if single parenting is involved; stepparents, extended family, & friends included
- Tending to time well spent for babes, children, teens, and adults leads to healthy relationships, learned skills, kind hearts, Spiritual direction
- Tending belongs to males and females; all in it together with shared responsibilities for each offers different qualities needed for wholeness
What are you tending today? Ask yourself if you are tending to the expectations of what you are called to do here on earth. Holy will help you tend well. Ask Divine to show you.
“Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly.” 1 Peter 5:2 ESV