How Do I Know Jesus Cares for Me?

In a world that is driven by social media and the number of likes on those posts that supposedly quantify how popular a person is, the thought strikes me…is any of it real?

What does a “like” on my post really mean? Does it really indicate someone actually cares about me or just that they have “seen my story” or given me a nod with “a thumbs up” or “heart” reaction?

Don’t get me wrong…I use social media to stay connected with people around the globe, but I believe it takes much more for us to show we care than just to “like” a post. 

When I struggle with questions like these, I believe the best way to find an answer is to go to God’s Word looking for a model or a pattern of how Jesus would have handled these situations.

Lest you think I’ve lost it…I know there is no mention of social media in the Bible. But we do find that Jesus took time to talk to people. He personally interacted with them. He answered their questions and guided them to the truth with His words and actions. These interactions and conversations reveal something I know about my God…He really does care for you and me!

​The Gospels are filled with personal conversations that Jesus had with various people He crossed paths with while in His earthly ministry. Let’s look at a couple of those in John 1. Notice how Jesus’ showing His care for these men made an eternal impact on them.

Jesus’ Interaction With Andrew and John

Jesus’ interaction with Andrew and probably John in John 1:35-39 illustrates Jesus’ care for people. These men heard John the Baptist declare Jesus to be the Lamb of God twice in the preceding verses and they began to follow Him. Then Jesus turns and asks them a question – “What seek ye?” He didn’t need to ask them anything because He knows EVERYTHING, but He was trying to show them He cared. These two men inquired about where Jesus was living, and Jesus’ response is an open invitation – “Come and see.” So often in Scripture, Jesus bids us to come to Him and see what He has done for us. What a wonderful invitation in this conversation!  

Andrew and John stay with Jesus for some time that day. Can you imagine what their conversations must have centered on? That time must have made an impact on them because the next few verses of John 1 tell us that Andrew was so excited about Jesus and what he had learned from Him that Andrew went first to find his brother Peter and declared, “We have found Messiah!” (John 1:41). The time Jesus took with Andrew changed his life forever. Then Peter comes to meet Jesus in vs. 42. Peter’s first interaction with Jesus brings about a name change for him. Isn’t that true for each of us?

Jesus' Interaction With Philip and Nathanael

There is yet another personal interaction and conversation in John 1 that shows us how much Jesus cared for individuals. John 1:43-51 describes Jesus’ interaction with Philip and Nathanael. The next day, Jesus seeks out and finds Philip to invite Philip to follow Him, and that invitation made such an impact on Philip that he had to share it with Nathanael.

Philip must have heard Jesus teach too because he tries to convince Nathanael that this Man is the One Moses and the prophets spoke of. Philip was so excited about Who he had found that he had to tell someone. When was the last time you were so excited about what Jesus has done in your life that you HAD to tell someone? ​

All this excitement bubbled over from time spent with Jesus. If you are lacking that desire to tell others, maybe it’s time for you to spend some more time with Jesus! Peter later in 1 Peter 5:7 explained that God’s desire is for us to cast, hurl, throw with all our might ALL our cares to our Lord, why? Because He cares for us! Peter and these other men understood that care because they had personally experienced it in their time with Jesus.

When Philip exclaimed what he had learned about Jesus, Nathanael reacted with unbelief wondering if “any good thing can come out of Nazareth” (John 1:46). But I believe his unbelief was quickly squelched when Jesus spoke to him. Jesus greeted Nathanael warmly and opened the conversation between them. Then He told Nathanael things that only an omniscient God could know about him personally (John 1:48). This interaction led Nathanael to belief in Jesus just like the others in this chapter. Read Psalm 139 and remember that your God and mine knows EVERYTHING there has been or ever will be to know about you. And He still loves and cares for you personally just like He did for these men!

I find these personal interactions with Jesus compelling. He spent time with these men. He answered their questions and ministered to their spiritual needs. He showed by His words and actions that He really cared for them.

These are only a few of several personal conversations Jesus had in the Gospels. But these have challenged me to stop putting so much stock in how other people react to my life, whether on social media or in reality. Instead, may we, like Jesus, take the time to show other people that we really do care about them and, in turn, point them to Jesus.

​I’m afraid that as believers we are so overly connected to our social media presence that we have forgotten how important it is to really show people that we care enough to talk and point them to our Savior. May the Lord help all of us to honestly evaluate our conversations and spend more time being like our Lord in this area!

When I met Jesus, He changed me too! What about you?

The idea for this blog post came from a sermon preached by Dr. James Baker at Tabernacle Baptist Church in Virginia Beach, VA, on October 13, 2021. He recommends Jeff Musgrave’s book Conversations with Jesus to further study this topic.