3:352 – I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends

#faithbites #faithjourney help

Setting

I like to think I’m strong and can do everything myself, but even I have limitations. (And yes, that was said with a smile). Today I had to get the kids to school at 8:00, get an injection in my back at 8:00, and meet the demolition crew at my house, and you guessed it, at 8:00. While I pride myself on doing a lot, I can’t clone myself. (I don’t think we’d want them). So I asked for help and between my wife and two friends, we got it covered. There wasn’t a hesitation or question, just coming together for a friend in need.

In the long run, that’s what it should be all about. Not how far we can succeed, but how we can help and propel others forward. God gave us friends to divide burdens and multiple successes. This is how he works in the world. What we need to overcome is our society’s false impression that we can do it ourselves that we have to be a self-made person. No one who truly succeeded did it on their own. They helped and were help.

Let us follow the examples God gives to be helpers and helpees.

Scripture

• 1 John 3:17 – But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?
• Acts 20:35 – In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
• Ecclesiastes 4:10 – For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!

Reflection

I could share many scriptures about helping friends. From loving God and loving your neighbor to the three listed above. We are commanded to help one another with full and open hearts. As 1 John says, how can we close our hearts to our friends and have God’s love in it? It doesn’t work. In mathematical terms, it’s incongruent.

Remember though, there are two parts to the help equation. One is asking for it and the other is accepting it. They are both challenging as we don’t want to be seen as weak and needy. We also don’t want to feel that we are in debt to someone else. All of these are falsehoods implanted by society. It is not weak to ask for help. It is not weak to accept it. A true sign of strength is knowing when you need help and when you can give help.

I couldn’t have gotten through my dissertation, my life, or even today without a little (or a lot) of help from my friends. Let’s work together to end the stigma associated with asking for help. Let’s do it!

Challenge

This is a two part challenge. Part 1: Ask for help. Part 2: Accept the help. That’s it. Very simple words, very tough to do. If you ask, your friends will answer!

Prayer

Father God, you surround us with love and opportunities to help us grow. We often fail to ask for help even though it is plentiful and around us. Please work in us to erase our doubts and fears associated with giving and receiving help. Show us that it is strength and not weakness to work in communion and help each other. We love you love and thank you for all these things. In your name, Amen.