Today's Devotional
June 13, 2006
Subject: Go Back To Help Someone Else
Luke 22:32 - "But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren."
It is such second nature in the military that I sometimes forget the simple principle that my mom saw displayed one day. She was watching military cadets involved in a physical training run around the track at school. She remarked about how, as each group crossed the finish line, they would turn around and go back and run with those who were lagging behind. She went on to say, "that's a good principle for Christians," and indeed it is.
That's what the Luke passage above is talking about. Jesus was telling Peter to reach back after you've "finished" and help the other disciples to get where you are.
That concept is against the grain of our society which implores us to get all that we can get while we can get it without regard for those behind us. However, to go back to help someone else calls for us to sacrifice getting more in order to help someone else get to where we are. The gap between the rich and poor in this country can be largely attributed to the fact that many would simply prefer to have more without regard for those who have much less or nothing.
The children of God should live as those military students ran on the track that day. As we reach milestones in our walk with God, we should strive to strengthen others to achieve like milestones. We should be "reach-back" Christians. After all, if you finish first in the race, this is a way to become last and if you remember, the last shall be first anyway. That's kingdom living.
