Caring for One Another

"That there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it" (1 Corinthians 12:25-26)

This past week a truly reprehensible act took place among professing Christians as those calling themselves "Baptists" protested the funeral service of a young Marine who had given his life in the line of duty. They carried offensive signs and thoroughly shocked and upset the family members as well as all those who had gathered to offer their condolences. Consequently, the church of Jesus Christ has received yet another "black eye" in the arena of public opinion because of the totally unacceptable actions of a few spiritually misguided individuals.

It is not my desire to use this week's devotional time and space merely to denigrate such actions, but to let you know that this news which has momentarily captivated the attention of the American public serves to remind us all as followers of Jesus Christ of a tremendous biblical principle that ought to be part of our relationships with each other within the body of Christ. Paul said that when one of us suffers because of some trial of life, we all join in with that suffering. We experience sumpathes, literally a "suffering with" as our hearts are filled with compassion and we seek to minister in the love of Christ to those who are hurting. Only the records of eternity will be able to tell how many people have been enabled to go on and not give up because of such loving ministry, beloved.

Nothing was said in the news report this week about those unnamed folks who stood alongside this young Marine's family, yet I am quite sure that they were there. I am convinced that for every protester outside there was at least one true friend inside who reached out in love and brought a measure of comfort and, thus, of strength to those who were bereaved. And it is that ministry which in the halls of heaven really matters, beloved. It is that sorrowing with those who sorrow and that rejoicing with those who rejoice that are the calling and the identifying mark of every true follower of Jesus Christ. Whatever political point might have been the attempt of those outside is both irrelevant and inconsequential.

What a tremendous reminder, then, for you and me as believers to follow the dictates of God's Word and to seek to minister sumpathes to those who are suffering for whatever reason in life. We are truly most Christ-like whenever we do so. To care more for the feelings of others than for ourselves is simply a fulfilling of the biblical mandate that we each "regard one another as more important than himself" (Philippians 2:3). To do any less may, indeed, land us momentarily on the 6:00 news, but it will also damage the greater cause of the kingdom of God.

Ron