Read this first: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+41&version=NIV
This slaps out of the gate- as the kids might say.
1 Blessed are those who have regard for the weak;
the Lord delivers them in times of trouble.
2 The Lord protects and preserves them—
they are counted among the blessed in the land—
he does not give them over to the desire of their foes.
3 The Lord sustains them on their sickbed
and restores them from their bed of illness.
Who are the weak this week? Is it the cops? Is it the president? Is it the black community that the average household income is supposedly 5 to 10 times less than the average white household? Is it those over 60 who don’t wear masks or social distance? Is it single people stuck in their homes alone for three months who are getting angry and snarky on the internet?
Maybe. Maybe all of that. Lord have mercy. We’re all weak and we all need help that only God can provide. The important thing is to look out for the other. If all we do is look out for self we have issues. I feel like it’s best to choose one issue to focus on otherwise we get overwhelmed thinking about all of it. But at the same time- know that everyone is fighting a battle that you may know nothing about.
I’m reminded of a youth from when I was first starting out in youth ministry. Some adult leaders after an event were discussing how she had an inappropriate swimsuit in the parking lot. This was overheard and she was balling and took this as a huge affront. I didn’t understand why this was such a big deal- granted I knew the leaders handled it poorly, but it was huge issue.
I learned a year later that the girl they were talking about had been raped the year before. Had they talked to her directly it would have been a different story. She was definitely the weak one.
So maybe sometimes we don’t know who the weak one is. We put the best construction on things, support those who we know need support and can help and try to change the system to make things better for all so there are no weak and strong, but loved, cared for and stronger.
Let’s pray that God through us makes it so.
Marking It Up 