Thursday, February 10, 2022

Be Careful How Fast You Walk

"We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves
Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification."
Romans 15:1-2 (NKJV)

While I was out walking the other day, I saw a mother and her young child who were also out for a walk.  Right away, I noticed the speed they were walking.  It was easy to see that the mother's pace was set to what was appropriate for the child.  The mother was obviously an adult and the child was no more than four years old.  The mom could have certainly walked faster than she was walking, but that would have created a problem for her child, so she walked at the speed that was best for the child.

Every believer is at a different level of spiritual development.  There are some Christians who are more spiritually developed than others, and some believers who are not as spiritually mature and do not have the same depth of understanding and knowledge.  If a mature believer meets an immature believer, should the person who is more spiritually developed look down on the younger believer and treat them as less of a Christian?  The answer of course is no; the more mature Christian should do what they can to help the less mature believer.

Usually, we all want to move at our own pace, naturally and spiritually.  But, as Paul pointed out in Romans 15:1-2, those who are spiritually strong ought to do what they can to help the weak and not to just please themselves, but rather do what will benefit and build up others.  We need to look for, and be aware of, the opportunities we find to spiritually walk alongside of younger believers and do what we can to help them, not moving at our spiritual pace, but walking together with them at their pace.

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