Support

Help

Everyone needs help sometimes. I know there are those people who seem to have everything together to such a degree that they never need a hand. But in reality we all need help in one way or another. We were not created to operate as independent islands and entities but rather as a real community. But a real community must also include some real loyalty and tangible investment. 

Most if not all work is easier when everyone helps do a part of the job. This means that instead of looking for a reason not to lend a hand, we are eagerly looking for ways to serve one another (1 Peter 4:10-11). This can be seen in cultures, societies, and civilizations even outside of the influence of Christianity. But this is because it is a part of the basic nature of how we are created in the image of God. Even in Eden, God concluded that Adam needed a companion to accomplish the God glorifying tasks that He had been assigned (Genesis 2:20-25).

Physical

Often support means that there are tangible physical needs that can be met by other people. This can come in the form of financial support, such as the Macedonian churches taking up funds to help the starving Jerusalem church in the first century (2 Corinthians 8-9). Today there are always more ways to give than we have resources to use but generosity should be at the heart of our desire to help.

However, even beyond finances we can be a physical blessing to other believers through manual labor. Whether the need is caused by a disability or even just a lack of time we can work to help other brothers and sisters to clear the chore list. We could even see this in a large group getting together to help a friend or brother accomplish a task that one or two people could never do. The point is that we should be looking for tangible ways to bless other people.

Emotional

The fast pace of our modern society and the burden of our information economy means that most people are carrying around some significant stress. There may be all kinds of ways to cope with stress but at some point we need emotional support. 

The proverbial shoulder to cry on might not be so proverbial. We need people in whom we can confide knowing that we can trust them and that they care for us. Just knowing that we are not alone can be critical in giving us the necessary strength to make it through the trails that we are facing.

However, if we are not cultivating real deep relationships ahead of time, then even in the church we may find ourselves lonely and abandoned even while surrounded by friends. This is not because those around us do not want to support us but usually it is because our relationships lack the bonding and building to promote deeper connections and investment.
Spiritual

This is the support that the world knows nothing about. They will claim to understand it. Even boasting about their spiritual rituals and practices. But without the peace with the Father through the provision of the Son giving us the presence of the Holy Spirit, the reality is that the world does not know true spirituality (1 John 5:5-11). So the true spiritual support that we need comes from the Lord Himself and through His people praying for our spiritual progress (Hebrews 13:18-21).

The greatest spiritual support that anyone can ever receive is to hear the glorious good news that even while we were sinners, meaning vile, disgusting and evil, Christ died for the ungodly and made reconciliation and peace for everyone who trusts in Him..meaning in His perfect life and resurrection (Romans 5:1-11).

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