Lean On Me

Philippians 3:12-14New Living Translation (NLT)
  I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

Our journey as Christian’s is often called a race. Not a sprint, but a marathon. Endurance is required. Sprinters have to run their race by themselves. But marathon runners, while they each do their own running, they have help along the race. People are staged all over the course of the race ready to hand out water and other things to the runners as they go along.

We do not run on our own. It’s true that God’s grace and power are sufficient for our lives. But He has given us more help on our journey in life. He has given us specialized tools to assist us.

Tak a mental inventory right now. Think of the people God has placed in your lives to “throw water” on you when you need it. Friends, family, you Pastor. We are all here to help each other on this race through life. We hold each other accountable, give each other encouragement, and lend strength to one another in times of weakness.

Throughout the Bible there are many examples of people of faith leaning on each other. Moses had Aaron. David had his Mighty Men. Even Paul had Luke to lean on. We were made as social creatures. The need for community is engrained in our DNA. This doesn’t replace our need for God and the power of the Holy Spirit, but rather is a supplement given to us from the Lord.

We all like to appear to be strong. We all want to be the hero. Don’t let your pride rob you of what God has given you and intended for you to use. Embrace your brothers and sisters in Christ, seek them out, and lean on them in times of need. We all need each other.

I look at pride in two ways. There is prIde, which is selfish and is focused on yourself. And than there is a pride, like a group of lions. All dependent on each other, all in one purpose. So lay your prIde aside and become part of the pride today.