It’s Mutual

Romans 15:1-6

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

²Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.

³For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”

⁴For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

⁵May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,

⁶that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In August of 1978, I walked down the aisle in the white dress to pledge myself in marriage to Cliff. For the event of our wedding we chose Romans 15:6 as the verse that would define our marriage. “That together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Both of us have tried really hard to live that out – but sometimes we’ve not done a very good job of it. Every marriage has its weak times and we have been no different; and there’s the point of Paul’s word for us today. All of us, no matter how strong we are in the faith live with a combination of weak times and strong.

When Paul says “we who are strong” he is referring to all of us. When he says “the failings of the weak” he is also referring to all of us. It is highly unlikely that any of us goes through life always strong or always weak. Each of us plays both roles at different times in our lives. We are both givers and receivers of the love and support that typifies a healthy Christian life. If you try to play the role of the “strong one” all the time, you will grow weary quickly (and I speak from experience about that). If you are always the one who is weak and needs the constant support of others, you need to grow up. We each play both parts at different times. But Paul has order and blessing in his advice. If all of us are looking out for one another, the person struggling through a time of weakness will always be supported and cared for. We need never worry that we will be stuck out in the world alone for we are part of a caring community.

Then the example of Christ comes into the picture. He was most certainly always strong and yet He took care of us who are most certainly weak. He allowed our sin to fall upon His shoulders for He was the only One strong enough to carry it for us. He was the only One strong enough to redeem us from our sin. My reproach fell upon Him and He was strong enough to lift it from me. Now, it is my role to stand with those who struggle and to allow others to stand with me when I struggle. It’s mutual.