“We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord.”
Romans 15:2 NLT
To put this verse in context, Paul is provide some instructions for how Christians should behave, particularly in relation to each other. It must be fairly obvious that helping “others do what is right” may not be the easiest of tasks. If one of our friends is doing something illegal we can, of course, try and warn them. Or if a random stranger is behaving badly, we can attempt to intervene. But in both cases we might find that our interferences and good intentions are rejected, with varying degrees of push back.
Back to our verse context. Paul here is referring to fellow believers, and we have a relational bridge with them because of our common belief in Jesus. He is the One who has united us and who leads and guides us. So if we see a fellow believer in some sort of difficulty, we can offer to help. It may be through some practical assistance, such as doing a bit of shopping or giving someone a lift. But it may also be something spiritual, offering comfort or direction in times of stress. Paul wrote in Galatians 6:1-2, “Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ”. If we have a good relationship with one of our brothers and sisters, and we see them doing something that is unwise or even bordering on sin, we may have the opportunity to help them to deal with the issue. Or the other person might be struggling with, what is for them, an impossible situation. So we help them with this – we might just have the key that unlocks the burden they are carrying.
An important part in our lives of being a Christian is helping one another. We will all need help at one time or another. Natural or spiritual, it is all the same in God’s eyes. And in the process of helping others, Paul wrote that we should “build them up in the Lord”. There is nothing more encouraging than a kind word, or a loving touch, in building someone up. The thought they might have that they are just rubbish evaporates in the light of a comment that tells them the opposite. A person never singing because they think they are out of tune is transformed by someone telling them what a lovely voice they have. A mother struggling with a difficult child is encouraged by someone telling them that they are doing a good job. The list of opportunities to encourage one another is endless – we just need to discern the other person’s needs and pop in the right words. In Proverbs 25:11, we read, “Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word spoken at the right time”. 1 Thessalonians 5:11, “Therefore encourage and comfort one another and build up one another, just as you are doing”.
It’s an important part of the Christian life, to build up others in the faith. And by so doing, as Paul said to the Galatians, we “obey the law of Christ”. What could be better than that?
Father God, You taught us about the “one another’s” in our lives. Please help us to find opportunities to help our fellow brothers and sisters. Day by day. Amen.
Being a Pilgrim 