1-2 Those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us. Strength is for service, not status. Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, "How can I help?"
It is my experience in my years in the church that those who are "strong" very rarely lend a hand to those who falter but instead spend a lot of time critiqueing those who are struggling. I love the way that Petersen puts it..."strength is for service, not status." The truth is most mature Christians spend less time in serving others and more in saying things like, "We have put in our time." The last few days as I have been reading through Romans I realize how far short we fall as people of God when it comes to loving one another, laying down our rights and putting others above ourselves. We use our strength for exalting ourselves above others instead of serving one another. We take all the grace and love that God gives us and never pass it on. That needs to stop. Paul challenges us that we who have been the recipients of God's grace should be the first to show grace to others especially those who belong to the family of God. My challenge is like yesterday's...What would happen if we the family at DSC started to treat each other with the kind of love, grace and mercy Paul is talking about? What would that kind of reputation do for us in helping us fulfill our mission of multiplying Christ-followers everywhere?