Strong To Serve!

As I was reading Romans 15:1, I began to ponder a beautiful but deep thought. 

This verse reminds those that are strong, that they are strong to bear the weaknesses of a weak person and not to please themselves.

Many of us are strong in our Faith, but not because of anything we've done to deserve it or earn it.

It is only because in our spending time with Jesus, He has so graciously dumped His faith in us through experiences and more.

This makes one strong in Jesus because it replaces them with Jesus Himself.

Many of us have that strength whereas many lack this strength and are weak. The Bible tells us that those who are strong are to bear the weaknesses of someone who isn't strong.

Oh shoot!

Becoming strong is not just for fun and games and bragging rights. It's for service.

You're strong? Great! Now serve the weak.

But how?!

Sometimes we think we don't have anything valuable to give a weak person, because we look at materialistic things. But what's valuable to give the weak, is the strength of faith that Jesus puts in us. Jesus gives us that strength, simply to bear someone else in their weakness.

I thought about the word "bearing" today. Bearing is not producing. The Bible talks about us bearing the fruits of the Spirit. That is not the same as producing the fruit. Jesus, who is the vine, is the One and only One who can produce the fruit. It is by Him alone that fruit is produced. BUT! Upon producing the fruit of His own work, He gives them to us to bear. 

What is bearing? Here are two google definitions that I love:

1. To Bear - is to carry the weight of or support

2. To Bear - is to carry or endure, whether by physical or mental force

In other words, if we are strong, because Jesus has given us His strength of Faith, then with that strength that belongs to Jesus, we are to carry the weight of weaknesses belonging to someone who is weak, by physical or mental force.

Think about that!

This past week, we have witnessed so much devastation from Hurricane Helene! Many people are so weak right now. Weaknesses from loss of family and homes, but also weakness in their faith. Many people who know God, have just witnessed God allow a tragedy to their lives. This causes a huge strain on one's faith. They are weak!

Many of us didn't go through any devastation at all, but we know full well that it is only by the protection of God that it wasn't us. This allows God to dump an ample amount of His Faith into us, giving us a strength by encouragement that God protected us.  If this is you, then Praise Jesus, you are among the strong today.

But how many of us, with the strength that God gave us, are using it to bear the weakness of the weak? 

If we have the strength of faith in Jesus today, we must remember that it's not our strength. That strength belongs to Jesus and with that gift of strength He's given, there are duties in how to use it.

I want to encourage you today to ask Jesus how can you use the strength He's given you today, to bear the weaknesses of the weak during this storm. You may not have anything physical to give, but there are many other ways to bear someone's weakness. Prayer being a big one!

Strong People, Serve the Weak! This the heart of our Jesus.

Do you know someone who is personally struggling from this storm? Please comment below so that we may pray for them!