The Caregiver No One Notices

Unassuming Heroes of the Bible, Day 28

J. Brent Eaton

Feb 11, 2026

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Here is a devotion to start your day!

Also available now at Power, Love & Miracles:

Hidden Heroes of the Bible: The Empty Tomb. Chapters 16-17, Conclusion [PLM+]

Thomas: Doubt- Doorway to Deeper Faith. The Bible Unplugged podcast, episode 74

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Hero: The caregiver in Jesus’ parable
Hidden acts of mercy to ‘the least of these’

Scripture: Matthew 25:31–40

Then the King will tell those on his right hand, ‘Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you took me in.’

Reflection

Caregiving rarely feels heroic when you’re in the middle of it.

It feels like laundry and appointments, medications and messes. It feels like interrupted sleep, long waits in waiting rooms, repeating the same answer to the same question for the tenth time. It feels like being “on” when others get to rest and holding it together when you want to fall apart.

Most of what you do is never seen, much less celebrated. The person you care for may not be able to say thank you. Other family members may not fully understand the weight you carry. You may feel invisible, worn thin, and sometimes resentful or guilty for feeling that way.

Into this very real, very human place, Jesus speaks a surprising word.

In Matthew 25, He describes the final judgment in terms of simple acts of mercy: feeding the hungry, giving water to the thirsty, welcoming the stranger, visiting the sick and imprisoned. The righteous are baffled. They don’t remember ever serving Jesus in those ways.

Then He says, “Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to Me.”

When you sit at a bedside, help someone dress, bring a cup of water, advocate at the doctor’s office, or simply stay in the room so someone doesn’t have to be alone—you are, in a very real way, caring for Christ Himself. Your loved one or patient may not be able to give back to you, but Jesus quietly receives your service as if you had done it directly for Him.

That doesn’t erase the exhaustion. It doesn’t make the burden magically light. But it does mean you are never “just” a caregiver. You are a hidden priest or priestess, serving Christ in disguise.

Unassuming heroes are often those who keep showing up with tenderness in places where few others are willing to stay.

Centering Prayer

Jesus,

You know the weight I carry and the tears I don’t always let others see. Thank You for receiving my caregiving as service to You. Strengthen my body, steady my emotions, and guard my heart from bitterness. Let me glimpse Your presence in the one I care for,
and remind me that I am never unseen by You. – Amen

Practice for Today

If you are a caregiver, set a small boundary of rest today—a brief walk, a quiet cup of tea, a moment to breathe and remember that God is caring for you. If you know a caregiver, reach out with thanks and support.