Title: How to Help Someone Who Blows It
Text: Galatians 6:1-10
Thesis: Caring for others is a very personal matter.
Introduction
Sometimes it is challenging when we try to care for other people.
A teacher in a Christian academy in west Texas was helping one of her kindergarten students put on his cowboy boots? He asked for help, and she could see why. Even with her pulling and him pushing, the little boots still didn’t want to go on. By the time they got the second boot on, she had worked up a sweat. She almost cried when the little boy said, "Teacher, they’re on the wrong feet." She looked, and sure enough, they were.
It wasn’t any easier pulling the boots off than it was putting them on. She managed to keep her cool as together they worked to get the boots back on, this time on the right feet. He then announced, "These aren’t my boots." She bit her tongue rather than get right in his face and scream, "Why didn’t you say so?"
Once again, she struggled to help him pull the ill-fitting boots off his little feet. No sooner had they gotten the boots off when he said, "They’re my brother’s boots. My mom made me wear ’em." Now she didn’t know if she should laugh or cry, but she mustered up what grace and courage she had left to wrestle the boots on his feet again.
Helping him into his coat, she asked, "Now, where are your mittens?" He said, "I stuffed ’em in the toes of my boots."
People who blow it can get by if they have a little help from their teachers, parents, siblings, children, members of their faith community, and their friends…
It may come as a shock to some of us but the fact of the matter is, Christians are capable of sinning. Good people can think, say, and do bad things. In addition to that, Christians and non-believers alike are capable of making really poor decisions that may or may not fall into the category of sinful practice but which may most certainly be defined as mistakes, failings, or shortcomings. Christian goof up. Christians blow it.
When one of us blows it… it is good to know that we are surrounded by sympathetic and loving family members, friends, and a faith community that will be supportive – no matter what.
The bible, speaking of those in the faith community, clearly states that “if we say we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” I John 1:8
So it is, if we can identify with the one who has blown it, we will be gentle.
I. Be Gentle!
If someone is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently… help that person back onto the right path. Galatians 6:1
Mel Gibson, as Riggs and Danny Glover, as Murtaugh, made quite a team over the years as the main characters in the Lethal Weapon series. At some point in every story of the series, Riggs would manage to dislocate his shoulder… which he would then reset himself by slamming himself into a wall.
On the athletic field a player will sometimes dislocate a finger and one of the trainers will give the finger a jerk to get the knuckle back in place. On the playground a child may break his arm and in the emergency room, doctors will set the arm before putting it into a cast.
This physical concept of resetting or restoring what was once dislocated and broken to it’s original position or place, is transferable as a relational concept. It may be applied to our families, our neighborhoods, our workplaces, and to our church faith community.
Being overcome by a sin may take many forms. It may take the form of a criminal act, failure of moral character, a slip of the tongue, a poor decision that hurts oneself and affects others. It may take the form of falling “off-the-wagon” so to speak. It may be a deliberate, calculated act or it may be an impulsive and reckless act.
We in the faith community do not always respond to people who blow it well… Amber Kimber, Senior Minister of the First United Methodist Church in Lodi, California, notes that dislocations are painful and even when the limb is popped back into the socket where it belongs, the pain and swelling can linger. Perhaps that is why we often prefer to alienate and amputate rather that relocate dislocated people. Homiletics Magazine. July 2007. P 24
In our families and in the Christian community our goal is to restore people and bring them back into the family and faith community.
The business of resetting or restoring needs to be done gently and graciously and with a spirit of humility.
II. Be Humble and Careful!
…help that person get back on the right path. And, be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Galatians 6:1
The Homiletics Magazine commentator reminds us that there are two things of which resetters or restorers need to be aware:
A. Pride, Self-righteousness, or Spiritual Superiority
B. Personal Temptation
Illustration: Nationally known spiritual leaders who have fallen into sin… all at one time or another deplored the very things they succumbed to themselves. We have heard them rant about pornography, marital fidelity and adultery, materialism, fiscal responsibility, abuse of power, substance abuse, homosexuality and so on.
It seems that when a person is feeling pretty good about himself or herself… they are prime targets for a fall.
The youth leader who lectures his or her students about sexual purity and then falls into sin… the AA sponsor who counsels his or her fellow alcoholic… the person who condemns another for not managing their finances well and then one day falls into need himself…
The Apostle Paul is simply saying that one of the best things you can do for the other person and for yourself is to keep a humble spirit of awareness that acknowledges:
There, but by the grace of God, go I!”
God reminds us in our text that in addition to gentleness and humility toward others, we need to ourselves, be responsible.
III. Be Responsible!
Be sure to do what you should… for we are each responsible for our own conduct. Galatians 6:4-5
If we do what we should we will:
A. Share the burdens or troubles and problems of the other.
“…share the burdens of others. If you are too important to help someone in need you are only fooling yourself. You are really a nobody.” Galatians 6:2-3
B. Focus our attention to being who we need to be and doing what we need to do.
The process of restoring those who have goofed up is not about condemning them for their mistakes and sins or comparing our goodness to their badness. It is about taking care to take care ourselves and then caring for the other.
C. Try to be more understanding and less judgmental…
Out text reminds us that we will always reap what we sow! Galatians 6:7-10 And Jesus admonishes us to, “top judging others, and you will not be judged. For others will treat you as you treat them. Whatever measure you use in judging others, it will be used to measure how you are judged.” Matthew 7:1-2
In the process or restoring people we will:
D. Hang in there with people.
So don’t get tired of doing what is good. Don’t get discouraged and give up… whenever you have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone, especially to our Christian brothers and sisters. Galatians 6:9-10
Conclusion:
In a sermon preached on November 22, 1998, Adrian Dielman cited Winston Churchill as an example of what it means to hang in there and never give up, no matter how difficult the circumstance.
It was June of 1955 and Sir Winston Churchill, near the end of his life, was asked to give the commencement address at a British university. He had to be helped to the podium which he grasped and held for what seemed an endless amount of time… his head bowed.
Then when he finally looked up, with that voice with which he had rallied England during the darkest days of WWII when the cities of England lie in rubble, when invasion seemed imminent, and the most hardy souls were giving up hope, Churchill said: Never give up! Never give up! Never give up!” And with that, returned to his seat.
Caring for people is a very personal matter… Caring for folks who have really goofed up or blown it, either in the making of bad decisions or sinful choices is personal. It is personal because what others do not only affects them, it affects us and others. Caring for people is always personal.
When people we know and love blow it, they know they’ve blown it and what they need from us is loving understanding and support in getting back on the right path. They need to know that we will never give up on them.
What people who have failed need is a little help from their faith community friends!
The Beatles sang it. Joe Cocker sings it…
What would you think if I sang out of tune,
Would you stand up and walk out on me?
Give me your ear and I’ll sing you a song,
And I’ll try not to sing out of tune.
Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends,
I’m gonna get by with a little help from my friends.
