Question 1

How is God thoughtful towards us?

Accepted Answer

Exodus 2:23-25The Israelites continued to groan under their burden of slavery. They cried out for help, and their cry rose up to God. God heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He looked down on the people of Israel and knew it was time to act.Psalm 31:7I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love, for you have seen my troubles, and you care about the anguish of my soul.Psalm 139:17How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!Psalm 144:3O Lord, what are human beings that you should notice them, mere mortals that you should think about them?Psalm 145:9The Lord is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation.Matthew 14:14Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.Mark 6:34Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.Luke 7:13-15When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with compassion. “Don’t cry!” he said. Then he walked over to the coffin and touched it, and the bearers stopped. “Young man,” he said, “I tell you, get up.” Then the dead boy sat up and began to talk! And Jesus gave him back to his mother.John 3:16“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”2 Corinthians 8:9You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.God does more than notice us; he thinks continually about us and constantly acts on our behalf. God cares for us with the deepest kind of love. His compassion moves him to meet our needs, and the most powerful example of this is the sending of his Son, Jesus, to die for our sins.

Question 2

What does it mean to be thoughtful?

Accepted Answer

1 Corinthians 10:24Don’t be concerned for your own good but for the good of others.Philippians 2:3-4Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.Colossians 3:12Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.1 Timothy 5:9-10A widow who is put on the list for support must be a woman who is at least sixty years old and was faithful to her husband. She must be well respected by everyone because of the good she has done. Has she brought up her children well? Has she been kind to strangers and served other believers humbly? Has she helped those who are in trouble? Has she always been ready to do good?Being thoughtful means meeting the needs of others with mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. This leads to the kind of servant’s heart that the apostle Paul identified in godly widows whom he instructed the church to support.

Question 3

What are the results of our thoughtfulness?

Accepted Answer

1 Corinthians 12:24-26God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.Thoughtfulness leads to our caring for others and a growing harmony and empathy in the community of believers.Matthew 25:36“‘I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’”James 2:15-16Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?Thoughtfulness leads us to meet the real needs of others.Ruth 2:10-11Ruth fell at his feet and thanked him warmly. “What have I done to deserve such kindness?” she asked. “I am only a foreigner.” “Yes, I know,” Boaz replied. “But I also know about everything you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband. I have heard how you left your father and mother and your own land to live here among complete strangers.”2 Corinthians 7:14-16I had told him how proud I was of you—and you didn’t disappoint me. I have always told you the truth, and now my boasting to Titus has also proved true! Now he cares for you more than ever when he remembers the way all of you obeyed him and welcomed him with such fear and deep respect. I am very happy now because I have complete confidence in you.Philippians 4:5Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.Others notice thoughtfulness. Our thoughtfulness inspires others to respond to us with thoughtfulness.Proverbs 11:17Your kindness will reward you, but your cruelty will destroy you.Matthew 10:42“If you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded.”Matthew 25:37-40“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’”Luke 6:38“Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”Luke 14:12-14He [Jesus] turned to his host. “When you put on a luncheon or a banquet,” he said, “don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward. Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.”God considers kindness and thoughtfulness to be of great value in his Kingdom. Such actions will not go unnoticed by him and will be rewarded, whether in this life or the next.

Question 4

How can I become more thoughtful toward others?

Accepted Answer

Romans 12:15Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.Philippians 2:3-5Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.Hebrews 13:3Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.1 Peter 3:8Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude.We can be more thoughtful toward others by trying to understand their experiences, their emotions, and their points of view. It takes humility to learn from people different from ourselves, especially if they don’t seem very smart, skilled, or important. It may even take a great deal of bravery, putting ourselves among unfamiliar people and places. Still, it is worth it. When we learn to see others through God’s eyes and value them as he does, we will find a beautiful kind of fellowship that we didn’t know we could have.Romans 15:1-2We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord.We can be more thoughtful toward others by considering what bothers their conscience. If we are confident that something we are doing is acceptable to God, but not to one of our friends, then we can avoid doing it when we are with that friend.Ephesians 5:33So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.Ephesians 6:1-2Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise.Colossians 3:21Fathers, do not aggravate your children, or they will become discouraged.We can be thoughtful toward our family members by following God’s guidelines for family roles and responsibilities: love, respect, and honor.1 Thessalonians 2:7As apostles of Christ we certainly had a right to make some demands of you, but instead we were like children among you. Or we were like a mother feeding and caring for her own children.We can be thoughtful toward others by giving up some of our rights in order to come alongside them and help them.Proverbs 15:28The heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking; the mouth of the wicked overflows with evil words.James 1:19You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.We can be thoughtful toward others by carefully listening and thinking before speaking.Proverbs 12:25Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.Ephesians 4:29Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.We can be thoughtful by encouraging others with cheerful and positive words.Romans 12:8If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.Romans 12:13When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.Hebrews 13:16Don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.1 John 3:17If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?We can cultivate a thoughtful attitude by remembering that God has equipped us to meet the needs of others. This gives us a different perspective on being more sensitive to others and reaching out to them with the gifts God has already given us.Matthew 5:47“If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that.”Luke 6:29“If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also.”We can even surprise a stranger or a thoughtless person with unexpected thoughtfulness. This reflects the teachings and the example of Christ.