Series: Youth for Jesus Number: Vol. 4, No. 9
“When David arrived in Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah, who were his friends, saying, “Here is a present for you from the plunder of the LORD’s enemies.” He sent it to those who were in Bethel, Ramoth Negev and Jattir; to those in Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa and Racal; to those in the towns of the Jerahmeelites and the Kenites; to those in Hormah, Bor Ashan, Athach and Hebron; and to those in all the other places where David and his men had roamed.” (1Sam 30:26-31NIV)
As we see in Scriptures, God’s people must learn to bear one another’s burdens. In other words, they must learn to be there for one another in their moments of trials or pains. That is because it is one of the things that show that we see ourselves as members of the same body of Christ and also love one another. (Cf. Gal 6:2; Phil 2:1-4)
To say the fact, there have been people that left the fellowship of the brethren because they were abandoned or ignored in their moments of need. And even now, there are people who are no longer taking their fellowship with other people of God seriously because they have been offended along this line. Certain trials of life came upon them, and they expected the people of God in their lives to show concern, even if they could not help. But no one was there for them. Everybody was just busy with their own thing.
So, with time, those people began to see their devotion to Christian fellowship as a waste of time and to seek fellowship elsewhere, where they would be loved, wanted and cherished. And this, in fact, is the reason some people joined some secret cults or help societies. They wanted in their lives and around them people who would not leave or forsake them in their hour of need. While, of course, it is only God can play that role in our lives, it is people that He often uses to do so. And when His own people that are supposed to be readily available to be used by Him to comfort one another in this sense will not make themselves available, others that have inferior things or nothing at all to offer are bound to fill in the gap.
Therefore, wherever we are, as children of God, we must not get so carried away by our lives’ affairs that we forget to care for other children of God in our lives. We must not be like Cain, whose mantra is ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’ We are our brethren’s keepers. And we must take this very seriously, for God will hold us accountable someday for the roles we play or fail to play for their fall, shame or destruction, if any of this should happen to them.
But then, it is important to also note that it is not only our burdens that we should want people to share with us or bear for us but also our prosperity and increase. See, one of the reasons some people of God no longer give themselves to supporting others in their moments of need in any serious way is that they have experienced diverse manifestations of ingratitude from those have helped or supported in the past. You too may know one or two people that you supported at some point in their lives but who, when things began to go well for them, would not let you know about their progress or totally severed their relationship with you. And it is people like such that often kill in us the desire to help or support others.
It is true that God’s children are not to help others or support them because they want their praise or gratitude. Otherwise, they would not have the praise and reward of God for any degree of help they are giving. (Cf. Matt 6:1-4) However, that is not to say that it is wrong for people to show us gratitude for being there for them in their moments of need. It is not wrong but right. In fact, God Himself wants us to learn to be grateful, not just to Him but also to those that He is using to help or comfort us. Otherwise, we will be shutting the door of more or greater help or support against ourselves.
So, if God has used anybody to share your burden or bear your burden in the past, remember to share your prosperity or increase with them in the day of your comfort (Gal 6:6). It will make their hearts leap for joy and also encourage them to help you or others in the future, should they need their help. David once demonstrated his understanding of this, as we are shown in our opening Scripture. He and his men went against certain raiders that had taken their families and possessions away, defeated them and brought back a great plunder. And instead of just taking everything for themselves, David decided to send some of the plunder to the elders of the different towns that had accommodated and supported them, when they were roaming around as fugitives.
Now that is what it means to be grateful. I am saying that to be grateful means to be willing and ready to share your joy, comfort and prosperity with others who have also shared in your burdens or borne them for you. And have you been doing this? Have you really been sharing the good things of your life with the people that have been there to share the bad ones with you? If you have not, you are wrong and need to repent. Otherwise, it is not only yourself that you will be shutting the doors of future help against but also some others that you may not even know.
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