Who Will We Throw Out of the Boat Next?
I have often said that as a society we have become a different people than what we were 100 years ago or even 50 years ago. We used to be the type of people if we saw someone around us hurting then we would go out of our way to help them. If we were in the same boat together and the boat was sinking then we would go out of our way to start bailing water out of the boat because we were all in this together. However today as a whole that is totally different. If we find ourselves in a boat and the boat is sinking instead of working together to keep the boat afloat as a culture we tend to start throwing people out of the boat. We justify that they are holding us back and we need to float. What is so sad is I see this same mentality find itself in the modern day church. As a whole we don’t care if our brother and sister in the Lord is going through a rough time or a testing season. As long as it doesn’t affect ourselves and our own ministries then so be it. We’ve lost the sense of the fact that we are all in the boat of life together and we all need each other.
1 Corinthians 12:26 (The Message) says, “The way God designed our bodies is a model for understanding our lives together as a church: every part dependent on every other part, the parts we mention and the parts we don't, the parts we see and the parts we don't. If one part hurts, every other part is involved in the hurt, and in the healing. If one part flourishes, every other part enters into the exuberance.”
We are the body of Christ. We have all been called to be in this world for such a time as this and be Jesus to them. We have to stop fighting between each other, we have to stop merely tolerating one another, and we have to stop pretending to love each other and truly begin to care. When the person next to me in the boat gets a cramp from rowing the oars then it should be nothing for me to say, “Here take a rest. I’ll row for you.”
When we are in unity we are more of a force to deal with upon the earth. Ecclesiastes 4:12 (The Message) says, “ By yourself you're unprotected. With a friend you can face the worst. Can you round up a third? A three-stranded rope isn't easily snapped.” We need each other! We cannot survive without each other.
I love the move “The Gospel” and if you haven’t seen it go and rent it. Dan blessed me with the soundtrack some years ago. I love some good gospel with some rhythm and if you’ve never heard the song, “I need you to survive” by Hezekiah Walker& LFC I highly recommend you Google it and listen to it. But for those that won’t here are the lyrics:
I need you, you need me.
We're all a part of God's body.
Stand with me, agree with me.
We're all a part of God's body.
It is his will that every need be supplied.
You are important to me, I need you to survive.
You are important to me, I need you to survive.
I need you, you need me.
We're all a part of God's body.
Stand with me, agree with me.
We're all a part of God's body.
It is his will that every need be supplied.
You are important to me, I need you to survive.
You are important to me, I need you to survive.
I pray for you , you pray for me.
I love you, I need you to survive.
I won't harm you with words from my mouth.
I love you, I need you to survive.
(Repeat 6x)
I have been very humbled this week in this area. As the tears have subsided and the questions still linger, there are some things that remain clear to me. That is God is God. He is faithful, and I am His servant. I cannot serve my own opinions or a man, but to serve Him because He is God. I cannot neglect that we are all in this together. Our goals are all the same. It’s to “Make Jesus as Famous as Possible.” (Quote Dr. John Watson of Marion Christian Center). Our goals may appear to be different, but their not. We’re all in this together. I cannot belittle the role you play, and you cannot belittle the role I play.
We need each other. We need to choose unity today. We need to stand tall as a body of believers, and refuse to continue to throw people out of the boat. Instead let’s bring more people in the boat, and get a bigger boat. Think about this when you see each other going through a hard ship. Will you kick them in the backside and help them in the water, or will you hold on tight to them and help their feet be grounded?
1 Corinthians 12:26 (The Message) says, “The way God designed our bodies is a model for understanding our lives together as a church: every part dependent on every other part, the parts we mention and the parts we don't, the parts we see and the parts we don't. If one part hurts, every other part is involved in the hurt, and in the healing. If one part flourishes, every other part enters into the exuberance.”
We are the body of Christ. We have all been called to be in this world for such a time as this and be Jesus to them. We have to stop fighting between each other, we have to stop merely tolerating one another, and we have to stop pretending to love each other and truly begin to care. When the person next to me in the boat gets a cramp from rowing the oars then it should be nothing for me to say, “Here take a rest. I’ll row for you.”
When we are in unity we are more of a force to deal with upon the earth. Ecclesiastes 4:12 (The Message) says, “ By yourself you're unprotected. With a friend you can face the worst. Can you round up a third? A three-stranded rope isn't easily snapped.” We need each other! We cannot survive without each other.
I love the move “The Gospel” and if you haven’t seen it go and rent it. Dan blessed me with the soundtrack some years ago. I love some good gospel with some rhythm and if you’ve never heard the song, “I need you to survive” by Hezekiah Walker& LFC I highly recommend you Google it and listen to it. But for those that won’t here are the lyrics:
I need you, you need me.
We're all a part of God's body.
Stand with me, agree with me.
We're all a part of God's body.
It is his will that every need be supplied.
You are important to me, I need you to survive.
You are important to me, I need you to survive.
I need you, you need me.
We're all a part of God's body.
Stand with me, agree with me.
We're all a part of God's body.
It is his will that every need be supplied.
You are important to me, I need you to survive.
You are important to me, I need you to survive.
I pray for you , you pray for me.
I love you, I need you to survive.
I won't harm you with words from my mouth.
I love you, I need you to survive.
(Repeat 6x)
I have been very humbled this week in this area. As the tears have subsided and the questions still linger, there are some things that remain clear to me. That is God is God. He is faithful, and I am His servant. I cannot serve my own opinions or a man, but to serve Him because He is God. I cannot neglect that we are all in this together. Our goals are all the same. It’s to “Make Jesus as Famous as Possible.” (Quote Dr. John Watson of Marion Christian Center). Our goals may appear to be different, but their not. We’re all in this together. I cannot belittle the role you play, and you cannot belittle the role I play.
We need each other. We need to choose unity today. We need to stand tall as a body of believers, and refuse to continue to throw people out of the boat. Instead let’s bring more people in the boat, and get a bigger boat. Think about this when you see each other going through a hard ship. Will you kick them in the backside and help them in the water, or will you hold on tight to them and help their feet be grounded?
So true -- thanks!
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