Does God Care About You?

“WHENEVER I get to thinking a great deal of myself, I take myself into the corner, so to speak, and say: ‘You little speck of dust. What have you got to be proud of?’”

That statement, attributed to a Christian minister of some years ago, reflected a noteworthy trait​—humility. And that quality certainly is desirable, for “the result of humility and the fear of Jehovah is riches and glory and life.”​—Prov. 22:4.

Considering the magnitude of the universe and its millions of celestial bodies, we realize that inhabitants of this earth are small and truly have reason to be humble. Not without good cause has it been said that humans are merely ‘specks upon a speck’ in the universe.

But does this mean that the Most High is far too lofty to be concerned about humans on this relatively small planet? Really, does God care about you?

WHAT ABOUT THE EARTH?

True, the earth is a relatively small body in space. Yet, is it an insignificant speck? Not to God, for he says: “The heavens are my throne, and the earth is my footstool.” (Isa. 66:1) Surely, such a figurative “footstool” used by the Most High is not a mere insignificant “speck.”

In fact, Jehovah has grand things in mind for his “footstool,” the earth. One day it will be a place of paradisaic beauty, a magnificent home for obedient mankind. (Isa. 45:18; Luke 23:43) Hence, while Bible students acknowledge the smallness of the earth, they realize that it was created by Jehovah God and is important to him.​—Gen. 1:1.

‘WHAT IS MAN?’

From God’s view, then, the earth is no insignificant “speck” in universal space. But what about humans?

Greatly impressed by the heavenly works of God, the inspired psalmist David asked: “When I see your heavens, the works of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have prepared, what is mortal man that you keep him in mind, and the son of earthling man that you take care of him?” (Ps. 8:3, 4) True, reflection on our place in the universe should properly humble us. Man, created lower than the angels, would seemingly not merit Jehovah God’s consideration. Yet the psalmist’s question shows that God does care about humans.

Consider: David asked, in essence: ‘What is man that God keeps him in mind, that Jehovah takes care of him?’ Clearly, then, God does keep man in mind. The Most High does take care of man. Rather than treating humans as insignificant “specks,” God allows the sun to shine and the rain to fall on both the righteous and the unrighteous. (Matt. 5:45) In fact, generation after generation of humans have reason to thank God that he has not forgotten them, for he has given them “rains from heaven and fruitful seasons.”​—Acts 14:16, 17.

Jehovah God does care for the human family. And why should he not care? We are told in scripture: “God proceeded to create the man in his image, in God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.” (Gen. 1:27) Since God is “a Spirit,” there is no physical likeness between God and man. (John 4:24) However, man has qualities reflecting those of his heavenly Maker, traits that definitely distinguish man from the animal creation. For instance, like God, man has the principal attributes of love, justice, wisdom and power. (1 John 4:8; Deut. 32:4; Job 12:13; Isa. 40:26) So humankind is not insignificant to the Creator.

If a person were to view and treat a fellow human as an inconsequential “speck,” he could, in effect, be assailing the Creator of humankind. Fittingly, we are told in God’s Word: “He that is holding the one of little means in derision has reproached his Maker.” (Prov. 17:5) Also, at Proverbs 14:31 we read: “He that is defrauding the lowly one has reproached his Maker, but the one showing favor to the poor one is glorifying Him,” that is, Jehovah God.

Actually, a person who defrauds the lowly one or holds him in derision really reproaches man’s Maker. In fact, our worship can have little meaning if we downgrade others. (Jas. 3:17) Hence, we should show regard for fellow humans, even as Jehovah does. But a question remains:

HOW MUCH DOES GOD CARE?

From a universal standpoint, both earth and man are quite small. And, certainly, man’s littleness is evident when he is compared with his Creator. For that matter, inherited sin and imperfection would leave humans in a hopeless state if God really did not care about man.​—Rom. 5:12.

But Jehovah God does care! “God loved the world so much,” said Jesus Christ, “that he gave his only-begotten Son, in order that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.” And this provision is a very personal one, for the apostle John wrote: “He that exercises faith in the Son has everlasting life; he that disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him.”​—John 3:16, 36.

Does this mean that God is eager to destroy sinful humans? No indeed! For the Christian apostle Peter stated that Jehovah “does not desire any to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance” with the prospect of eternal life in his promised new system of things. (2 Pet. 3:9, 13) The same apostle indicated also that God is concerned about individuals, for he declared: “For a certainty I perceive that God is not partial, but in every nation the man that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.”​—Acts 10:34, 35.

So Jehovah does care about humankind​—as individuals. He will preserve and bless all those who love kindness and humbly walk with him. (Mic. 6:8) Therefore, cultivate a close personal relationship with your Creator, for God does care about you.