Love calls us to care personally for those entrusted to us. And this often means dedicating quality time for each. But we remain finite and there’s only so much we can give of ourselves when everyone wants a piece of the pie.
Of course, love calls us out of our selfishness and to freely pour into the lives of others. Our wife needs us to show up for her as only a husband can. And each of our children needs a personal touch from us as father. Likewise, friends, extended family, neighbors, coworkers and the like all make demands on our time and energy as well. And to some degree we have a duty to them all.
All the same, we’re limited in how much we can give. God alone is able to be infinitely present and personal with everyone. He’s always there regardless of what’s going on in our life. And we have a direct line to him without fear that he’s too busy or otherwise distracted.
While we offer a glimpse of this loving presence to others, our time and energy are still finite. And this requires us to make choices and even prioritize some relationships over others. For instance, we have a special duty to care for those in our very home before those who are not. And sometimes we must also choose ourselves, as we can’t pour water out of an empty cup.
This is not to neglect or hold back how we show up for others. And we can often give much more than we realize. At the same time, we cannot be everything to everybody as there’s only so much pie to go around. We frustrate everyone when we set an expectation we can do what only God can.
In the end, give yourself generously to others as you rest in the sufficiency of God’s grace. And remember you are not God and there’s only so many pieces of the pie you can offer before you run into the limits of your humanity.
Photo by Diliara Garifullina on Unsplash
