“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10)
Woven in and out of the fabric of one’s life are many persons, some of whom become quite special to us over time. Brandon Lane Phillips was born with a congenital heart defect. Due to his health situation, he was granted a gifted-wish at the age of eleven. Having less than a great home life, he prayed that God would show that he cared about him. He used his wish to meet actor Jeremy Miller who portrayed Ben Seaver on the popular 1980’s sitcom, Growing Pains. Both Jeremy and Kirk Cameron, who played the older brother in the show, began to assure Brandon that God had a plan for his life. That day, they formed a friendship with Brandon who began to develop a new level of self-confidence. As the years passed, he went to medical school and became a cardiologist. As God’s providence would have it, a day came when Jeremy needed Brandon. Jeremy had become addicted to alcohol, and Brandon was able to help him enter into a very exclusive recovery program. Together they have written a book, When I Wished Upon a Star, affirming that “God placed us in each other’s’ lives when we needed it the most.”
The Bible is filled with instances when God brought people together for a far-seeing purpose. King Saul hated and pursued to kill David, but Saul’s son Jonathan loved (1 Samuel 20:17) and protected him. “Jonathan said to David, ‘Go in peace, for the two of us have sworn together in the name of the Lord saying, ‘The Lord will be between me and you and between my descendants and your descendants forever’” (1 Samuel 20:42). When Naomi’s son dies, his widow elects to stay with Ruth rather than return to her own family. She tells Naomi: “Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God” (Ruth 1:16) and she is, in turn, blessed for her loyalty. The Apostle Paul praises his student Timothy for his deep faith (2 Timothy 1:5). Later he tells the Church at Philippi, “I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare” (Philippians 2:20). Scripture references people who are brought together in this way as being ‘like-minded.’ When believers are challenged to be of one mind and voice, they are known for their acceptance of one another by their display of the spirit of God’s love. We are, therefore, inspired by the words of the great apostle: “Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble” (1 Peter 3:8)
As we mature, we quickly learn that many of the people who we refer to as friends come and go as if they are only with us for a season of our lives. We are fortunate if we find just a few persons with whom we can develop a deep, lasting relationship. When we enter into a true Spirit-filled, fully-surrendered walk with the Lord, one of the first things to occur is that God will create an awareness of individuals who may not be good for us. God’s Holy Word states that he who keeps company with fools will suffer harm (Proverbs 13:20). The Bible also warns that we are not to team up with those who are unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14), that we are to stay away from people who cause divisions and obstacles (Romans 16:17), and even pull back from those believers who are disruptive and do not live according to our faith teachings (2 Thessalonians 3:6). Some of that may sound very harsh. While we never want to pass up an opportunity to witness or help meet the basic needs of those who do not know Christ, God also knows who is best suited for us spiritually at any point in time. So, we must let Him guide us toward those who will have a positive impact on sharpening our character. “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17). Such individuals will help to keep us spiritually in line when we are getting off-track, assist to get us through and make sense of some of the downswings that can occur in our daily walk, as well as provide affirmation that we are heading in the right direction. In that way, we serve each other and continue to stay on the path where God seems to be leading us. While we are sometimes misled to think that there are many who can do this for us – the end-result will be that if it is to be true and lasting, it will come from God who connects us with special persons who are like-minded.
REFLECTION: With whom are you sharing the important parts of your life? How can you help others understand that being like-minded doesn’t mean we unite around a specific set of doctrines, political issues of the day, or a certain theology? What are some concrete ways that you can encourage others to earnestly seek the mind of Christ while building one another up in faith?
A NEW LOOKUP DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., APRIL 13, 2019. COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.