Help to Stand
April 1, 2013
Returning from a week-long cycling trip, my husband badly wrenched his ankle on our own front steps while unpacking the car. What a welcome home! In a moment he went from feeling athletic to hobbled. How quickly things change! Yet he was well cared for as he recovered. Family, friends, and neighbors all lent a hand to help.
God does not intend for us to live in isolation. He places us within families and communities and encourages us to help each other. If someone falls, a friend can help. In dark times, it’s a comfort to know someone is caring and praying for us. A kind word or a friendly greeting can be the encouragement needed to get through a difficult day. A brief phone call, text, or email can be the blessing through which God speaks. A community that genuinely cares about one another reflects the love of God.
Like the friends of a paralyzed man who carried him to be healed by Jesus (Mark 2), or the people in Philippi who helped the apostle Paul when he was in prison (Philippians 2:25; 4:10-20), we all are given the opportunity to lift up one another. How are you doing on carrying your corner? Do you bless those in your family and in your community? Do you allow others to help you and carry you when you need it?
About the author — Rev. Deb Koster
Deb Koster is a producer, writer, and speaker for Family Fire. She is also an Innkeeper at The Parsonage Inn in Grand Rapids, MI where she leads marriage retreat on weekends. After over 20 years as a Registered Nurse, she completed a Master of Divinity degree and was ordained as a pastor in the Christian Reformed Church. Deb and her husband Steven enjoy doing ministry together and they are the parents of three awesome young adults.
Read more from Family Fire:
Learning to Love My Jewish Neighbor
Joella Ranaivoson
Learning to Love My Buddhist Neighbor
Joella Ranaivoson
Becoming a Less Stubborn Parent
Rev. Travis Jamieson