4:264 – Love, Cherished, and Supported Part 2

#faithbites #faithjourney Supported

Setting

I was driving home yesterday and saw a sign that said: “Support your Veterans” and was an ad for the Veteran’s Association. That got me thinking about all of the times we say to support someone. Support teachers, support autism, support law enforcement, support migrants, and the list goes on and on. Heck, I wrote Love, cherished, and supported part 1 and didn’t really answer the question: What does it mean to support someone? Does saying, “I support you mean anything”? Are there actions that go along with it?

Today’s Questions: What does it mean to you when you support someone? How are we supported by God?

Scripture

• Ecclesiastes 4:12 – And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
• 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.’”
• Hebrews 10:24 – 25 – “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Reflection

Our scriptures show us three different ways to support each other. Ecclesiastes references standing with them and becoming stronger together. It’s easier to break a string with one thread but together, they are strong. Stand with someone and help them in their effort. Acts referred to support as helping someone in their work. This help means we can get involved in their effort to complete whatever goal they are working on. This is is a way to give back. Finally, Hebrews defines support as encouragement or spurring someone on. This can happen through meeting together and giving them strength when they feel weak or are struggling.

There is no one right way to support someone. Based on this, it goes beyond saying, “I support you” or the general “thoughts and prayers”. Truly supporting someone takes effort and it should be. To be supported a person needs to feel that someone is standing with them, helping them complete tasks, and encouraging them when they struggle. This may come in many forms but you know what it’s like to be supported. Now it’s time to go beyond the words and act.

As we close, make a plan today on how you will turn words into action and begin to fully support others.

Prayer

Lord God, thank you for supporting us in all that we do. We ask you to help us support others. We want to be supported and want to be of support to others. Turn our words into action. Help us to be the strong thread, the warm body, the extra set of hands to divide burdens and multiple successes. We pray this in your name, Amen.