S04E042, We All Need A Friend, Andy B 2 Minute Video

Download - Listen - Transcription

It’s so encouraging when we can advise someone, or help them, and see a burden lifted from their shoulders.

It could be as simple as lending someone a phone, or giving them a life. Perhaps we take them a meal or two when they’re ill, or even just moving house, so they don’t have to think about preparing a meal for themselves.

It can be so very simple, easy and straightforward to help others.

There are some very specific skill sets, which the church will have within it’s walls. It’s no wonder that many churches choose someone who runs a cleaning business to help organise the cleaning in the church. Or a builder to help ensure the buildings are maintained well.

It’s really great when we can do something that is life changing, or at least that we can see is life changing – in the life of someone else.

The church family that God desires is made up of all sorts of people, from different backgrounds and with different skill sets – as well as people with different strengths, and weaknesses.

God isn’t just looking for people who can be strong for others, but also for people who are willing to be weak for others, too. Because, when we admit our weaknesses, and failings, and struggles, not only do we encourage others to know they are not alone with their struggles, we also make it possible for people to use the gifts that God has given them into our life.

Which makes the church much richer.

Don’t always seek to be the helper who is always doing. Because, helping others can just as easily be accepting help, as much as it is giving help.

Just a thought...

Andy B

Listen

Download

Transcript

0:00
So, another Andy B 2 Minute Video, and we've had a couple of things to sort out this week. And one of them was quite a specific skill set that we don't have. We kind of know what we're supposed to do about something, but we actually needed some advice.

0:15
So, the Lord has provided for us with some really great friends, with all sorts of skill sets. But, one of these friends we approached and said, 'look, this has gone on, and what is it we're supposed to do here?' And they came back and said, various things, which were very helpful. But she's a great friend. They've helped us to understand what we can do, what we should do, and what we shouldn't do. And it didn't really cost them anything, but time. But, what it did, was relieve us of a burden, of a weight, of something that's dragging us down. And there's only so much in life that we can cope with that, that pushes us down before we collapse, 'cos our knees buckle.

0:53
Now, we're not in a really bad place at the moment, but it's easy to get there isn't it! So we all need friends, people who can advise us.

1:03
I've got a friend who's, who does missions work. And we have a really great friendship because we challenge, and we, we hold each other accountable. Well, he was really tired, and working really hard, and I was able to just remind him, easily, 'make sure you take some time to rest so you can do what God's asking you to do'. And he does the same for me all the time. Just pushing each other, and encouraging each other, lifting each other up. And we need to have friends in our life who can encourage us, who can challenge us, who can advise us when we're struggling, whether it's a spiritual matter or a physical matter.

1:38
I was able to have a chat with a different friend about some stuff going on in their lif,e and able to say, 'well, have you thought about this? And what about that?' And 'Oh, thanks. That's really helpful.'

1:49
So we need to help people. We need people to help us. And, as Christians, as followers of Jesus Christ, one of the things we can do, really simply, is taking our day job, and using that to help other people, probably at no cost to us other than a few moments of thought, and 'this is what you need to do'.

2:05
I remember a long time ago, when Jo had hurt, I think it was a shoulder, really badly. A friend of ours, who we ran a group in a church with, happened to be an A & E doctor. And we happened to be at their house and, 'well, let me check you out'. Took her a couple of minutes, and saved us a trip to A &E. Didn't cost her anything but a few moments of her time.

2:27
So, let's be looking for those opportunities when we can, easily, help other people. It hasn't got to be hard. But we all need friends, so let's be a friend! And let's look for those people in our lives who can help us, and who we can help.

2:39
Just a thought.