Should We Give Someone the Key? (4/27/15)

When you become a dog owner, you take on a set of responsibilities. You must provide shelter and food for the pet. Loving and caring for this pet includes basic things like protecting them from tics and heartworm. It also includes trips to the vet when needed. The most routine need is to both feed at the proper times and let the pets outside several times a day. We have a perpetual water dish that requires refilling every few days. Although these duties are not cumbersome they do require some attention. Being away from home for long periods of time is no longer feasible, unless someone can take over these duties.

There is a sweet young girl next-door who is more than happy to come over and let our dogs out if we are not home. She will also feed them if we have to miss a meal time. (We feed morning and evening rather than leaving a bowl of food out. Beamer would eat all day if allowed.) When we have planned an outing in advance, this works very well. The key here is to have our schedule planned.

Sometimes when we are out with friends, the plan doesn’t work so well. Someone may suggest extending the outing which would increase the amount of time away from the house. If we are close to home this is not a problem. We can run by the house, see to the dog’s needs and then rejoin the group. At other times a detour to the house to care for the dogs will take too long and prevent us from continuing with our friends. At times like this, I have asked myself if maybe we should give someone a key to get into our house. If this young girl’s family had a key, it may only take a phone call to ensure that the dog’s needs were attended to. Although they may be willing to assist us at this time, they do not have the necessary access to our home.

Often we may attempt to live this Christian life alone without allowing others access to our inner lives. We seek the Lord and strive to rely strictly on Him. Yes, we are to totally rely on Jesus Christ to meet our needs.  “And my God will liberally supply (fill to the full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19 AMP) But the Scripture does not mean that we are to be alone in all we do. God often uses others to meet those needs.

Throughout Scripture we are encouraged and even commanded to share lives with other believers. 
“And let us consider and give attentive, continuous care to watching over one another, studying how we may stir up (stimulate and incite) to love and helpful deeds and noble activities, Not forsaking or neglecting to assemble together [as believers], as is the habit of some people, but admonishing (warning, urging, and encouraging) one another, and all the more faithfully as you see the day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24-25 AMP) We are to interact with each other in many ways. We are told to warn each other. “But instead warn (admonish, urge, and encourage) one another every day, as long as it is called Today…” (Hebrews 3:13a AMP) We are to encourage each other. “Therefore encourage (admonish, exhort) one another and edify (strengthen and build up) one another, just as you are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11 AMP) And we are to admit our sins to and pray for each other. “Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for one another, that you may be healed and restored [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart].” (James 5:16a AMP)

In order to obey all of these directives, we must invite others into our true thoughts and feelings. We cannot block everyone out as we attempt to trudge forward on our own. When we attempt to do so we will become overwhelmed and often believe that we are the only ones going through significant trials. We may also listen to the voice of our enemy, the devil, of whom Jesus said, ^“When he speaks a falsehood, he speaks what is natural to him, for he is a liar [himself] and the father of lies and of all that is false.” (John 8:44b AMP) When we walk alone we are more susceptible to these negative thoughts. We may also fall into erroneous thinking.

The word of God tells us, “Two are better than one, because they have a good [more satisfying] reward for their labor; For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 AMP) We are strengthened when we open up to a trusted companion. When listening to God, this companion can strengthen us and provide support. Yet one can only truly come alongside us if we allow them into the inner parts of our soul. We must give them the key to our lives.

God has equipped each of us to reach out and help others who are in need. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of sympathy (pity and mercy) and the God [Who is the Source] of every comfort (consolation and encouragement), Who comforts (consoles and encourages) us in every trouble (calamity and affliction), so that we may also be able to comfort (console and encourage) those who are in any kind of trouble or distress, with the comfort (consolation and encouragement) with which we ourselves are comforted (consoled and encouraged) by God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4 AMP) We must both give and receive from each other.

So if you have been trying to walk this Christian path alone, find a fellow believer that you can trust. Give him or her the key to truly enter your life and walk beside you. Then a simple call may be all it takes.

  

(Just this week, one of those friends pointed out how my expression of an idea could be greatly (and was) misinterpreted. I am so grateful that she openly shared her concern. Had she not felt she could speak to me, I would have remained insensitive to this. I am thankful for this friend who used the key well!)