Devotion #4: Be an Answer to Prayer

“As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.” Romans 14:1-4 

“We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” Romans 15:1 

Does anyone have issues that they deal with in their life? I imagine you have your hand raised up along with me.  

I have always struggled with my weight. I do not have time to go into all of the details here, but my father weighed 800 pounds and died when I was in high school. I have gained and lost weight all of my life. It is something that I am still working through. 

Around fifteen years ago, I had someone come to me when I was a youth pastor and tell me that I should never tuck in my shirts because when I was on stage leading worship it looked really bad. I have never tucked in a shirt since. 

I share that with you today because so often we look at people that are struggling with something and we instantly judge them. We look down upon them because their thing is not our thing. We think it is an easy thing to overcome and that the other person should just have it figured out. I cannot tell you how many times people have told me to “just eat less.” Wow! That is life-changing! I have never thought about that (sarcasm added)! 

There is not a person that is reading this devotion today that has everything figured out. Every single one of us has a weakness that we need help with. Maybe it is financial, relational, or physical. It could be anything like addiction, to telling lies to look better, to stealing, or to so many other vices. 

Paul is reminding us today to love each other well. He has already told us that we have all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. He has talked about the wages of our sin and that we all need a Savior. He has even proclaimed that he was the chief of sinners: the things he knew he should do, he did not do, and the things he knew he should not do, he found himself doing! Paul needed a Savior, too! 

No matter your strengths or weaknesses, you, too, need a Savior. When you come across someone with weakness in their life, be reminded that you have weaknesses, too. Remember how you may have been saved from those weaknesses. Remember what Jesus has done for you and come alongside those with weaknesses. So much of what we see is actually not what a person is really struggling with but a symptom of something much deeper. Looking down on someone’s symptoms will not allow them to get the help that is, oftentimes, desperately needed. 

Besides, if another person’s weakness is a strength in your life, you may just be the answer to a lifelong prayer for strength and help. Take the opportunity to be God’s answer to another’s prayer and be God’s blessing.