Crying Out for "HELP" in a DIY World

“Do It Yourself” is the trend these days – in home remodeling, crafty home décor’, door wreaths, jewelry and so much more. We don’t need anyone else’s help – we can do it ourselves.

DIY applies also to the independence we declare when we are faced with personal challenges and we also want to handle it all by ourselves. We think we don’t need anyone’s help in getting through life. I plead guilty on that as I’ve become quite independent – not wanting to “bother” anyone with my “stuff”. After all, we don't want to add our "stuff" to theirs. But that’s not how God programmed us. He made us to need Him and others.

My post today was inspired by my pastor’s message yesterday. He talked about calling out for HELP. The fact is that we have such a do-it-your-self mindset that we never call out for help. We go to church, sing and praise and pray and ask God for help, but deep inside we could sure use a friend. On the inside we’re crying out for help, but on the outside, we are wearing masks that make us look like we don't have a care in the world.

I love St. Paul’s words in Philippians 4:13 “I can do ALL things through Christ Who strengthens me.” It sure sounds like he was a DIY-er can of kind of guy, but he always relied on Christ's strength. In verse 14, he also said to the Philippians “It was good of you to share in my troubles.” Obviously he cried out for help to his fellow believers.

My son, Larry, was in Southern California for a leadership summit last week and one gorgeous morning, they all went to the beach. The waves were magnificent, about 8 feet, which made for great surfing – for those who knew how. Larry’s friend, who is in great shape, but is a novice surfer, headed out to surf. The waves were fierce and he began to get pounded and his surf board that had been attached to his ankle by a cord, broke loose and his board got away from him. Usually a surfer’s board acts as a buoy to keep them afloat, but when those waves pounded him every 8 secs, he had only enough time to grab a breath and try to get out of them.

Soon he realized he didn’t have the strength to get out of the waves and he knew he was in trouble. The waves were so loud that he knew those on shore wouldn’t hear him. But, one of the times when he came up, he saw two guys sitting on a nearby pier, drinking coffee, looking down at him. They had no idea he was in trouble. He looked like a professional surfer. Everything seemed normal. They didn’t know he was in chaos. He started thinking he wasn’t going to make it.

Meanwhile, all the guys on the beach were talking and laughing and shooting videos, while he was fighting for his life, as yet another wave came and pounded him. It was then that he began to yell to the two men on the pier “HELP. I’m in trouble. I need help!” And, he yelled again. Immediately those guys heard him, dropped their coffee and ran for help. At that beach, they fire off a siren and all lifeguards come running and they were able to get him and pull him to shore. Thanks be to God!

The point of this post today is to impress upon you, my FB friends, that if you need help today, cry for help – not only to God, but to those closest to you. They don’t know you’re in trouble. They don’t know the chaos you are in. It's time to take off the mask and ask for help. From the beach, Larry’s buddy looked okay. From the pier, he looked like he was having a great time – and everything was alright. But he needed help.

And, there are those around us who need OUR help. It’s time we “loved our neighbor” as ourselves. It’s time we reached out to friends and family and asked the question “Are you okay? Is there anything I can do to help you? No surface answer accepted. No DIY mentality when it comes to reaching out for help and reaching out to others to help them.

Galatians 6:2 “HELP carry one another's burdens, and in this way you will obey the law of Christ.”