Weak

"Now we who are strong have an obligation to bear the weaknesses of those without strength, and not to please ourselves."-Romans 15:1

It's crazy how people you consider friends will allow you to fall and kick you while you are down while proclaiming their commitment to Christ Jesus. They claim they have been called by God to do these great things but they have been doing a lot of lip service which is a disservice to the kingdom of God. Selflessness is never at the top of anyone's list when you feel as if you've been overlooked, betrayed, let down, and disappointed. It's not my prerogative to go out of my way to make you comfortable when you spend so much time belittling and ostracizing others.

Here in Romans 15 we find that the Apostle Paul is in a place of strength. We find that he (being divinely inspired) shares this passage of spiritual enlightenment to remind us of the great responsibility that we as Christians have not just to Christ, but to one another as well. The responsibility to use our strength to keep one another uplifted and encouraged. The Apostle Paul speaks of this obligation in such a way because he understood that we all come together to make up one body in Christ Jesus. If one is down, we're all down, if one is without, the body is without and in order to minister to the world effectively we must be on one accord. So Paul encourages the believer to reflect not one ones self, but your brother and sister in Christ that they too might make it to the place that God has called them to be.

Just within the first verse we find that first God calls us to be strong. It takes courage to be strong. To stand up when those around you have decided to remain seated in the fact of injustice and wrong doing. Strength doesn't always mean right, perfect, or flawless, but strength is progress. I may not have $500 to pay tithes like my neighbor, but I'm going to give cheerfully with the $5 that I have. Strength says although I know they don't like me I'm going to continue to pray their strength in The Lord. Strength is the ability to see temptation full speed ahead and turn away and walk the other direction because it's not worth loosing all that I've worked for. Strength is the ability to love of an abusive father and make peace with an estranged mother. Strength is showing love when all you feel you've ever received is hurt. It takes strength to trust the light of the world in dark places. It takes strength to stand still and know that he is God, but you can do it, because even when you're low on it, God is the strength of our lives.

We then see that verse one encourages us to help others. There is no other way for you to touch others unless you reach. You can't help a fallen brother or sister in Christ unless you're willing to extend beyond the comforts of your resting place to pull them up to higher ground. Not one of us is perfect and that's all the more reason why we should do our best to share God's word that others might be able to cling to hope and come to know Christ. How dare we walk pass people we see everyday, know that they're hurting, but never offer them hope? How dare we talk about the people we sit next to in church full of ideas on how they should live a better life, but fail to offer then a word of kindness? How dare we stand by and watch our peers kill one another because we refuse to share our personal keys to success? That's not what God has called us to do. He's called us to mentor youth who may not have positive reinforcements in their lives. He's called us to go to the hospital to see about the sick and visit the jail to share God's hope with the imprisoned. We must bear, we must help, we must use our strength to help someone without that they might be able to continue to run for Christ.

Finally, we see that verse one of Romans 15 calls us to forget about our personal agenda and just do it. It's not always about getting the last word, and it's not always a requirement for you to be right in every situation, but in order for your witness to be effective sometimes you've got to give up your right for someone else's wrong. Every now and then you must ignore your feelings and how that person made you feel in order to do what God said for us to do in his word. You show that you trust God when you deny yourself to take up your spiritual cross. You show that God is mighty when you loosen up and let the petty drama and ways of the world go. You show your spiritual maturity when you come to a place where word of mouth is no longer able to distract you from keeping those around you uplifted in prayer regardless of where they come from and what they've done in the past because you know that your work is not to please man, but to please God.

God has called each of us to give and never expect anything in return. To love regardless of whether or not those around you appreciate your love. To fall down and get up. To lose the battle, but continue fighting because God said that you would win the war. To push past the difficulties that you're currently facing trusting that God will see you through. To give when you have nothing left. To help your enemy and pray for those who hurt you. To live life to the fullest and give God credit by sharing his truth to those who may be lost we've all been called to be strong.

Let us bow:
Lord,
Grant us your strength that we might be in a place to help others. Help us to remember that it is by your strength that we are able to function and that is by your stripes that we are healed. Touch us with your love so that we must uplift one another with care. Teach us to love one another that we might come out of places of selfishness to be selfless in your name. Thank you for the countless blessings accompanied by moment to moment grace and mercy. We love you and we lift your name on high for it is in your name that we pray, Amen!