Lean on Me

I got a call from my best friend (other than my wife of course) yesterday. Sometimes a call from your best friend is not a pleasant surprise. His dad has a brain tumor the size of a tennis ball and needs some pretty radical surgery. There have been many physical problems that have occured with his dad because of this issue. It is difficult to deal with because I love his dad. He is one of those guys that just makes you laugh and may not even mean to. Needless to say he needs a good deal of prayer.

The real theme though of my common prayer today is that of my relationship with my best friend. He and I spent a great deal of time together when I still lived in the wonderful state of West Virginia. He has taken his vacations to visit me more than once since I have been away. He was the best man in my wedding and has always been a constant source of security and acceptance for me. His call had a certain sense of desperation in it. When I asked him what I could do for him he said, "Just pray." I appreciate his faith in me to go to the Father on his dad's behalf. I asked him though what I could do for HIM. He said nothing so I told him I would call him every day to check up on him. That is a stretch as we usually talk about once a month on average. He is quite close to his dad and needs to be reminded, I believe, daily that he is being prayed for and supported. I wish I could be there if for nothing more than to sit across from him and smile. The familiar face of a friend can do so much--even mine.

How good are we at supporting each other in the church? I mean really support each other. Not the type of lip service that we give every Sunday when some tells us about a problem they are having and we say, "I will pray for you", only to forget until we see them the following Sunday when we once again go through the same word play. I mean the type of support that literally holds up the other. The beauty of the church as Jesus intended it is that it acts as a communal structure to strengthen the individual by adding to their strength that of their brother and sister. This multiplication means that burdens and joys alike are shared co-equally and life is lived out completely enveloped in the community. Truthfully, how often do we take time to carry one another's burdens and support the other when their strength is failing? If we allow one to fall we are all weaker for it. Our interdependence on each other should drive us to care for each member of the community with fervor and zeal. I gladly take on the responsibility to call my brother everyday and help him to carry his burden. If need be I will gladly hop on a plane to fly home and hold him up when his strength fails. It is a challenge to live this way. It means we take each life personally as our own and care for our neighbor as we do our own needs. Jesus never said community was easy, it is simply the ethic of the Kingdom. Grace and Peace.