November 3

The world’s way is to take every advantage over a perceived adversary. In the day-to-day jostling for position and power, it is not uncommon to see those grappling for ascendancy to ‘kick a guy when he’s down.’ It’s a dog-eat-dog world and most people will do what it takes to look out for ‘Number One.”

That’s not God’s way, and He doesn’t expect it to be ours. The Word tells us that we are to “prefer others above ourselves” (Romans 12:10). To be Christ-like in our attitude toward others, we must be genuinely concerned about their well-being. We must care about the totality of their selfhood.

I Thessalonians 5:11 states the Lord’s position on how we should treat others very clearly. Here He declares, “Encourage one another and edify one another.”
‘Encourage’ and ‘edify’ are directives that take us beyond the mere provision of a hand up to one that is down. To encourage is to literally ‘give heart to’ one who is hopeless or in despair. Our resolve should be to pull the one who’s fallen out of the pit of hopelessness.

To edify is to equip with understanding, to ground in truth. That is a process that requires an investment of ourselves. It is no quick fix. In other words, the Lord wants His people to come along side those in need and walk the distance with them. Encouraging and edifying take time. As He is with us, we are to be invested in caring for them for the long haul.