Strengthening the Weak Protects the Strong.

“Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” 

1 Corinthians 12:27

Recently we went to Felsenmeer, in the Odenwald.  It’s an amazing spot!  Large boulders seem to cascade down the side of a steep hill like a stone waterfall frozen in time.  Thousands of people go each year to climb the stones, or walk the trails along side.  Carol and I went with a couple of our university students to spend a sunny day enjoying God’s creation.

I had only climbed be a dozen or so of the large stones, when, as I pushed off with my leg to propel myself up to the next level, I heard a loud “pop” and felt a searing pain in my left knee. I thought I could wait a few moments and “shake it off,” continuing up the hill; but alas, I had to very slowly make my way down the hill along the side trail. My climbing for the day was over.

The trouble was – my left knee had been my “good knee” for years!  My right knee had been week and painful since a sports injury in the 1970’s.  I thought that I could overcome the weakness in that bad knee by putting the hard work on the good knee. In the end, the good knee was left injured and the whole body suffered.

Paul tells us that the church is like a body. Each member is meant to do its part. Sometimes there are members of the body that bear scars from old wounds, or are weak due to lack of use. Far too often, rather than working with the weak to strengthen and mature them, we simply put additional strain and tension on the stronger and healthier parts of the body. Sadly, this can lead to new strains, and fresh wounds. 

Ministry leaders need to be constantly searching for those who are weak and sidelined by pain; working with them to get them moving again, building strength and finding purpose within the body. Members who find themselves timid and resistant to ministry because of old pain or fear of injury, need to recognize their important role in the body, and do their part. They will not only be strengthened themselves, they will prevent others from injury, and strengthen the entire body!