Key Passage: Matthew 9:1-8
Topic: Christian Living
And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven." (Matthew 9:2, ESV)
In our society we've convinced ourselves that we've got to do things on our own. "Pull yourself up by your bootstraps."
But here's a dirty little secret: That doesn't always work. We need each other.
The man in today's Scripture learned that. He needed Christ to heal him. But he also needed people to bring him to Jesus.
We all need that. We need people around us who will bring us to Jesus--and we need to be that person for others.
We're not created to be excluded from others. God created us for fellowship. We need to be there for each other. We need to "encourage one another and build one another up" (1 Thessalonians 5:11, ESV). Everyone needs some support and encouragement at times.
We can also help our friends to grow. The Bible says, "Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another" (Proverbs 27:17, ESV). Yes, at times that process can be painful, but in the end, it is so rewarding as you become more the person God designed you to be.
We must be there to keep each other accountable--to make sure that the life we're living matches the life that we claim in Christ. When a friend is heading off in the wrong direction, we need to be there to point it out and help him or her return to the right path. We also need to pray for each other (James 5:16). Don't ever underestimate the importance of praying for one another.
"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!" (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, ESV).
Be there for your friends and allow them to be there for you. Sometimes we need someone to bring us to Jesus.
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