734 Why We Help Others - Hebrews 12:12-14

How does discipline lead us to help others? 

Hi, I'm Mike Henry Sr. with Follower of One. Thanks for joining me again today on the follower of one podcast, we've been talking for several days about discipline, several episodes, and today we're wrapping that up. We're in Hebrews chapter 12. Today we're reading verses 12 through 14. "Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed. Strive for peace with everyone and the holiness, without which no one will see the Lord." That's from the English Standard Version of the Bible.

The author of Hebrews is wrapping up this discussion about discipline and he goes right into encouraging other people. So we talked about discipline and how we are disciplined by God. We were disciplined by our parents. The previous episodes all discussed this discipline because I was wrestling and always wrestle with my lack of discipline, But this switch to encouraging others and to caring for others is important, and that's why I thought I would include it in this series. For the moment, all discipline seems painful. It says in verse 11, "therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees," It begins in verse 12. The author of Hebrew is encouraging us to help those of us who are experiencing discipline.

We're on the harder end of life. Let's help those around us who are going through difficulty. We can make straight paths for their feet. We can set what is lame. We can fix their broken joints and different difficulties that they're going through to the degree that we can help others and encourage others, we strive for peace with everyone and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 

Holiness is this key. Holiness is our dedication to God. It's being set apart by God. When we're holy, that means that we're doing the things that God would have us do. It's not about wearing some gown or doing all these other things, the ancient ages kind of created this model for the word holiness that I think freaks us. But when we're doing what God would have us do, we're holy; we're walking in the calling that he has for us. Ephesians 2:10 says" we were created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we would walk in them."

Holiness is us doing the job we were created for. People will see that holiness when we can live a disciplined life. We can strive for peace with everyone and then they will see this holiness because we live this discipline-controlled life as followers of God.  Our challenge for being disciplined people is to go into the world and represent life following Jesus. That's our job. That's why we're still here. I always believed that I didn't want to just be saved and stay out of trouble until I died. Fortunately, God has a different plan. God plans that you and I reflect on life following Him in our various workplaces, in our difficult staff meetings, when irate customers are chewing us out, or when things are going wrong when prices are skyrocketing.

All of these are opportunities for us to walk in the calling of God to be holy so that others might see God. That's where we get our joy. The joy that comes through discipline is knowing that we walked in what God had called for us too. Today, I believe God would like you to pay attention to the people around you. I believe he wants us all to pray for the people that we interact with, appreciate them and serve them because that's one reason why we're still here. We're still here instead of with God in heaven because He has a job for us to do here.

It's to be holy so that others might see God. Thank you for being a Marketplace Minister. Follower Of One is nothing but a community of people who are trying to live life the way they believe God wants them to live it, and that's what I'm trying to do. Follower of One is my stab at trying to get a place for all of us to connect.

Why not check out https://community.followerofone.org and join us? You can create a profile in our online community. Meet other Christians. We're trying to do this daily and even take part in our marketplace mission trips. Check it out at https://community.Followerofone.org. 

Thanks very much.