My Brother's Keeper

Romans 15:7- Therefore, accept one another, just as Chris also accepted us to the glory of God.

Today, I'd like to take a moment to encourage the leaders in the body of Christ. When I say 'leaders' I mean those who are in the trenches, doing spiritual warfare and carrying the load. Truthfully speaking, either we're assisting in carrying the load or we ARE the load. Which one is it for you?

Years ago there was a song that said "He ain't heavy, he's my brother".  But, there are some spiritually heavy brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ. Some are laden with unconfessed and unrepentant sin. Some are burdened and heavy ladened.  Some are overtaken with worry and doubt. And some have simply lost the will and desire to strive. But, they are our brothers and our sisters and they need us to help them regain their strength, their focus and their determination to continue in the purpose of God for their lives.

Romans 15:1 teaches us to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and to not do this for our own glory or praise. We're also not to help one another out of convenience.  How convenient was it for Christ to help you out of sin by dying on the cross for you? So you may have to deny yourself a pleasure and help someone else in a troubled situation. You may have to do some things behind the scenes without getting the credit for it. Everybody doesn't have to know that it was YOU who did this and that to help a sister or a brother in a time of need. To God be the glory, not us.

Our responsibility as followers of Christ is to live by His example. Part of that is learning how to love people where they are. Like it or not, everybody isn't as perfect or as holy as you are. Everybody hasn't been delivered to the level of your deliverance.  Some haven't arrived at their glorious place of ascension, such as you. So, if we are truly our brother's keeper, we are going to have to learn how to love them anyway. Pray for them. Encourage them. Hug them.

I encourage you to truly embrace your brothers and sisters in the Lord. Even the ones who are not so easy to love. Continue to lift them up to the Lord and pray with them. Labor with them for their deliverance. God will be pleased with the sacrifice and when He looks at you, He will see...Himself.

Looking forward,