The Buddy Climb
Matthew 15:29-30
And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there. And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others and cast them down at Jesus’ feet; and he healed them.
- The multitudes brought the broken, the sick, the blind. There are people all around us who are spiritually maimed and need help climbing up the mountain.
- In this type of climb, we need to remember Tay’s lesson from a couple of weeks ago. It is not about us. We need to open our eyes to the needs around us.
- This action of the multitude helping others climb the mountain screams LOVE.
- They didn’t even have the Holy Ghost, so what’s our excuse?
- As disciples, we need to help others climb the mountain.
However, we must take precautions when helping others climb. We cannot rush their walk. They are spiritually blind, spiritually lame, spiritually mute, and spiritually maimed. If we try to rush their progress, we can cause further damage instead of helping them.
- We may be inclined to “fix” people, but the Bible says that they cast them at Jesus’ feet, and HE healed them. Not us.
- They knew that they weren’t able to heal them through their own power but that there was someone seated on top of the mountain that had the power to restore.
As college students, we may not be physically facing a mountain and multitudes of broken people to bring to Jesus. So, how are we meant to apply this scripture?
We can bring others to God in prayer or discipleship.
We may not have physically handicapped people to bring up a literal mountain, but there are spiritually handicapped people all around us.
- Lame = people that don’t have a walk with God.
- Blind = people who have heard the Word but have closed off their hearts to God.
- Dumb/Mute = people that are lacking in faith, unable to speak life, depressed/anxious.
- Maimed = people that are struggling with offenses, with church hurt, with family hurt, with unforgiveness.
Ultimately, we climb to deepen our relationship with God and with others. It is our job as disciples to let others know that there is a God at the top of the mountain who is ready to restore and save them and to help them make the climb.