Valerie and I read the news about an 82 year old Little Rock woman that died of heat exhaustion in her home. When the emergency workers got to her, they found that her body temperature was 110 degrees! Now she had air conditioning in her home, but in an effort to save money, she refused to turn it on. The really sad thing about this tragedy is that her death could have been prevented if some friend, neighbor or family member had just taken the time to check on her!
You know, it got me to thinking that maybe I should use my article this week to say a practical word or two about caring for one another during the record heat wave that we are experiencing in the state right now. The apostle Paul wrote, “That there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now are ye the body of Christ, and members in particular.” (I Cor. 12:25-27)
Practically speaking, there are some things that we all need to be aware of during these hot summer months.
The American Red Cross offers this advice for coping with the heat:
1. Stay indoors during the hottest part of the day.
2. Stay on the lowest floor since heat rises.
3. Keep ceiling and window fans running, they cost only pennies to cool the air.
4. Drink plenty of water or juice to prevent dehydration, even if you don’t feel thirsty!
5. Eat small, frequent meals throughout the day.
6. Wear light-colored clothes if you have to go outside.
7. Wear a hat and use sunscreen when exposed to the sun, (yes, even dark-skinned people need this protection!)
Now spiritually speaking, we should all be engaged in caring for and serving one another. However, the heat wave that we are currently in gives us even more reason to check on one another, especially our senior members of the body who may not be able to cope as easily with the heat! Why not make it your aim this week to call a few of your brothers and sisters in Christ to make sure they getting along okay and to see if there is some way that you can serve them. That’s one really COOL way Christians can care for one another!
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