Lifting Up

Hanging tough or holding on to your beliefs and principles in difficult times is admirable.  Too many give in and give up when the pressure to conform to a group or compromise to get ahead is applied.  It is easier to go along to get along than to continue steadfastly in the face of opposition.  And it is so tempting to pass on keeping faith when we are trying to get ahead.

To resist the temptation to compromise, to hold your head up when the circumstances of life are holding you down requires character.  We should applaud those efforts in others and seek to be steadfast in our own lives.  But, as Christians, we are called to more.  Holding on is not enough, we are called to strengthen others, to lift them up, helping them along the way.

Listen to the words found in Hebrews 10:23-24, "Hold unswervingly to our hope...And consider how we may spur one another on...". If we don't hold on, we will be brought down but if we only hang on, we may fail to rise up.  And if we only concern ourselves with ourselves, we are leaning toward selfish more than selfless, which is a loosening of our grip on godliness.

The point is that we are not placed on this earth to make the journey alone, we are called as community and charged with mutually helping one another along the way.  Holding on is worthy pursuit but falls short of God's desire if it doesn't extend to lifting up others and helping them get a solid grip as well.  So, get a grip and grab a hand.  Jus' Say'n.