Sunday Guest Post by Alicia

Today's reading from the One Year Bible Chronological Reading Plan is here

I found it odd that out of all these passages I came back to the very first verse. I think the reason why was because the Lord convicted me this morning to do one thing toward my daughter (13 on Christmas day) this week. Edify, Edify, Edify. Not really just encourage, thought that is in there, but to build up with godly example and teaching and love shown and spoken.
At this age, it's so easy to say this line over and over to my eldest "act your age" or "you're old enough to know better!". Yet this verse convicted me to remember that I am older and stronger in my faith, life experience and even human development than she is. I should not be expecting her to just take on Christian character by default.
John Mac Arthur says about this verse:
"As with the principles of receiving one another with understanding and building up one another without offending, responsibility for pleasing one another falls on all believers but especially those who are strong. Consequently, they ought to bear the weakness of those without strength."

This really hit me. I need to be willing to bear more.

"Therefore, to bear the weakness of fellow believers is not simply to tolerate those weaknesses but to help carry them- by not being critical or condescending and by showing respect for sincere views or practices that we may not agree with. It is to "do nothing from selfish or empty conceit, but with humility of mind...(to) regard one another as more important than" ourselves, not merely looking "out for (our) own personal. interests, but also for the interests of others" (Phill 2:3-4)

Someday my daughter will sit (Lord willing) at my table as my mom and I did last night after a bowl of turkey soup, and talk about the world through maturity and perspective she does not have right now. Tiny petty things are huge to her right now, and spiritual things are still very much a mystery. She is weak, and I have to bear, or carry, her weakness with patience instead of expecting her to leap in her journey so I can have the prideful satisfaction of having her "get it" now.
Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves.

I heard this as parent, as that was what the Lord had for me in it this time, but this is meant to apply to the body of believers as well. It also applies in the area of Christian liberties as Paul later states in 1 Cor 9 that he may be free to do this or that, but he will consider the weakness of those others around him before taking part in that freedom or passing on it.
It can also apply just in the way as it did with my daughter, that I need to bear some weaknesses in my sisters on certain things. The interesting thought about this is that someone is probably bearing me as well.:)




Tomorrow's passage:
2 Corinthians 2:5-6:13