August 12
‘For even the Son of Man did not come to be served,’ Mark 10:45a
Bible reading: Romans 15:1-7 (Go to the Bible passage)
When I visit a community of believers – a church or a group - and I try to find out where they stand spirituality, I do not listen to all the beautiful words that are spoken. Instead of this, I observe those who claim to be spiritual, to see what their attitude is to those among them who are the weakest in faith.
Now there are always people who like to meddle with everyone who is weak and needy, yet these smotherers do not have the Spirit of Christ. These are people who only use the losers to satisfy their own need for caring. They do not want the losers to become strong either, for then they would have no one left to be superior to.
Jesus was a friend of whores and sinners, and He called the weak and weary to Him to take them in His arms. As soon as they felt His friendship, their weakness and weariness disappeared! ‘We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.’ Jesus led the way for us: He called the weak and the paupers to be truly together with them.
Are we willing to be truly together with the weak and the weary, and to commit ourselves to them in such a way that none of them will fall short of the grace of God (Hebrews 12:15)? Then there can be no more divisions and infighting within the community. After all, being the Church of Christ means to be united - strong and weak unified in perfect harmony as one being - in order to bring praise to God.
‘May the God Who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had.’

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