Scripture: Hebrews 10:24-25 – “And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
The old expression is, “if you want something done right, do it yourself.” This recognizes that no one quite understands your ideas of accomplishing something, whether it is a sink clear of dishes or a massive business or artistic undertaking better than we do. Putting our visions in the hands of other is risky and has often led to disaster. As a fan of film, I have seen many examples of “studio interference” compromising the work of a writer or director.
Our faith teaches us that our strength comes from God. Psalm 118 says, “With the Lord on my side I do not fear. What can mortals do to me? … It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in mortals.” In all the struggles that we face, the selfishness or apathy or cruelty of others stands in our way. Our trust in God gets us through these times.
But this also hardens our hearts against others. It promotes a “me against the world” attitude that makes other people seem like obstacles or enemies rather than fellow travelers on the road. It puts a lot of pressure on us and despite our rocky exteriors, we find ourselves ground down, bit by bit. We feel like there is a huge weight on our shoulders all the time, and as much as it proves our strength, it also slows us down, sometimes to the point where we cannot move at all.
But God did not create us to strive and seek and fight, and not to yield. God gave us companions and friends. God created us to live in community, to strengthen each other in our struggles and our failures, to remind us that we are not alone. In the Letter to the Hebrews it says, “And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” We need other people to remind us of the right thing to do, but we also need others to lift us up when we are weary. Knowing others can share your vision and are willing to work alongside you to realize it can be a tremendous relief to us.
So those of us with a drive to succeed or with an eye toward perfection must remember to let others in. As much as we trust in God, we should also trust, at least in part, to the love and wisdom of others created in God’s image. Sometimes, if you want something done right, you need to trust in others.
Prayer: God help us to see your love is all around us. Help us to balance testing and trusting those around us, so together we might find your kingdom. Amen.
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