The Strong Bear the Weak

Last night the Lord sent me a short dream to answer a question of mine . . . or as it were, a couple of questions.  This will be a little longer lesson than usual.  The dream is as follows;

I was hearing myself talk to our dog, Max, comforting him for all his troubles.  He had just been hospitalized with seizures, and was adjusting to medications that made him dizzy.  On top of that, he developed a skin infection on his neck and was wearing a cone on his head.  Poor puppy!

Then the visual part of the dream began, showing me cradling an infant in my arms, seated on a love seat in our house.  The baby’s outfit snapped all the way up his face and over the top of his face.  “Can you see me?” I smilingly asked.  Then I unsnapped it, and a very young infant boy could be seen, contentedly sleeping in my arms.  “There” I said, continuing to cradle him and smile.  End of dream.

Besides our pet Max having 2 afflictions, Dave & I had just hosted a family of 7 in our home for the summer.  Yesterday’s prayers to the Lord included the question “Is there anything you want to teach us, Lord?”  Therefore this dream was sent as an answer.

Infants are the weakest of the weak, totally dependent on those who care for them.  The infant could not “see” me, or that I cared for him, until I unsnapped his outfit.  We wouldn’t expect our pets or infants to “see” all we do for them; this dream was about caring for those who are weak and dependent on us.

 The scripture that the Lord shared was that the strong need to bear with the failings of the weak (Rom 15:1).  This scripture also tells us “and not to please ourselves.”  Not only does the Lord want us to be strengthened on the inner man, but He asks us to prefer to use our resources to help those that need us.  By asking us to care for the family and for our pet in their time of need, the Lord was keeping us “other-centered” so that we wouldn’t get self-centered.

 In looking at the references using “weak”, we see the admonition in several scriptures to come alongside those that need us.  This was the answer to my question last night when I asked the Lord what He wanted us to learn.  In reviewing this lesson with me the Lord reminded me of a scripture I had prayed about a few years ago (God has a good memory!)  It is Isaiah 53:12 and is not about the weak; it is about the strong. 

“Therefore I will give Him a portion among the great, and He will divide the spoils with the strong, because He poured out His life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors.” 

After having read this verse my prayer had been “Lord, I want to be among the strong.  I want what you have won!”  I then wondered what it would mean to be “strong.” This dream also answered my questions about being strong; the strong help those in need.

The two verses tell us that if we are strong, we will lay our lives down and care for those who need help.  Jesus did this by pouring His life out for us.  He asks us to do no less, giving towards our brother’s and sister’s needs instead of pursuing our own pleasure.  In fact, I don’t believe Jesus can divide His winnings with us unless we are willing to lay our lives down for others.  Jesus teaches a very down-to-earth approach to living in the Kingdom of God.  He tells us that those who will inherit the Kingdom will feed their brethren, give them a place to stay, and clothe them.  They will look after their sick brethren and visit them in prison (Mt 25:35-36).  Perhaps it might seem easier to reach out to the unsaved and let our brethren in need care for themselves, however, Jesus said “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for Me.” (Mt 25:40)   If they are brothers of Jesus then they are our brothers in the faith.

The next time the Lord brings you someone in need  (a brother, a family, a pet), let it be seen as an opportunity instead of as an inconvenience.  God will not overlook our good works.  He intends on sharing His winnings with us if we will be strong, in Him.  Amen.