OK...have worked on this for almost two weeks and cannot get it to come out properly once it leaves the draft stage. Just overlook my name until you reach the very end. The last sentence should not be by itself. Have no idea why I can't get the final entry to look like the original. We've all been there (just shut your eyes and click "send")....
Recently our town lost two brave firefighters. 40 year old Victor Isler and 19 year old Justin Moore were fighting the huge Salisbury Mill Works fire when flames entrapped them. Such a sad time for our community. Over 3,000 people attended their funeral. Flags have flown at half mast. Businesses with marquees have held messages for passersby. One message jumped out at me. While passing one local fire department, I noticed their marquee stated, "Our thoughts and prayers are with our fallen brothers". I've noticed that sometimes, especially if the victims are young, messages will be left (say, at the scene of a wreck) that states something like, "We love you". "We miss you". Or "You're in Our Thoughts and Prayers". This time, though, the phrase "Fallen Brothers" just jumped right out at me. As usual, God began to deal with me. Fallen brothers. Who are our fallen brothers? In the spiritual sense, our fellow Christians are our brothers. Anyone have that proverbial “black sheep” of the family? You know, the one no one claims. Seems like most of the time we “love each other”. Man, we stick together. You da man. I gotcha back. (For my non southern readers, just bear with me). We’re “all that” until….
What happens when one of our brothers fall? More than likely you know what I'm talking about. When that one gets caught cheating on his wife. When Sally Mae can't help herself with the credit card and the family goes into bankruptcy. When the head deacon falls off the wagon. When Esther Jo's son ends up in prison...again.
These are just incidences out of my imagination but you know what I'm getting at. These are our fallen brothers. These are the times that require us to (Ga. 6:2) Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Chirst. Do we do that? How easily it is to put them off with a casual "Well, that's not my problem". Or, "Whew! I'm glad it's not me". But, in Christ, we are all brothers. When one stumbles, and we all stumble, our duty is to "get his back". Cover him with prayer. Encourage him in the Lord. Let him know that you're on his side should he need anything. Too many times we turn aside. And, sadly, too many times we criticize them. Behind their backs we chatter and gossip. Oh, shame on those who don't uplift and support their fallen brothers. Those who judge shall be judged. Romans 14:13 Let us not therefore judge one another anymore.
Til Next Time,
Lisa
Help me when I fall. Pray for me when I'm weak. Help steady me when I stumble. Oh, that we were ever mindful of our fallen brothers that they be in our thoughts and prayers. |
