The Great Stabilizer

“Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.”  (Rom.14:4)

            It would seem that as Christians we waste a great deal of spiritual and emotional time and energy on matters that are not are only outside our realm of expertise, but also outside our realm of responsibility. This is especially true in our dealings with other believers. We’re not satisfied to indulge ourselves on personal spiritual guilt trips (yes, I do mean indulge ourselves), we usually find it necessary to entice friends and loved ones to make the journey with us.

            Most of us go way beyond provoking one another to good works (Heb.10:24), to poking one another every time we sense a pending lapse in grace, or less than ferocious zeal for God. As the verse in Romans indicates, legitimate concern for the spiritual wellbeing of a fellow believer can easily morph into judgmental bellowing, an activity that doesn’t help either them or us.

In the final analysis, we’re usurping the authority of their Master…and ours. And, besides, as the verse says, only God is able to make someone stand. He is the Great Stabilizer.  We may be able to get someone back on his or her feet temporarily, but we don’t have what it takes to produce permanent steadiness and stability. That requires supernatural intervention (Acts 3:1-8). And, if that’s the case, the sooner we get out of the way, the sooner it’ll get done.