Are You Willing to Ask for Help?

For those of you who still go into physical, brick-and-mortar stores, what do you do if you’re looking for something in particular?

Look around until you find it.
Ask for help.

I’m definitely in the first group. I go to where it should logically be. If it’s not there, I gradually widen my search until I’m eventually in the parking lot. But, hey, I also find things I didn’t know I needed!

My wife? Hoo boy, if she doesn’t find it right away, she’ll walk up to a total stranger (an employee) and ask where it is. “Mary, you’re distracting that employee from idly standing there watching frazzled customers attempt self-checkout.”

I have no statistics to back this up, but I think this I-don’t-need-help mindset is more of a guy thing. We’re men! We can do it ourselves! When I have repurposed old pianos into desks, on more than one occasion, I have wrestled that upright piano onto my workbench. By myself, thank you very much. Why? Because I’m a man, and we men can do things by ourselves!

That’s also a pretty dumb idea. Just ask my son who tried carrying a small refrigerator down a flight of stairs. On the upside, it gave us time for a nice visit at the walk-in clinic where he got multiple stitches.

Life is far better when we admit we can’t do it all ourselves. We need others. And when it comes to what really matters—our relationship with God—there is no way we can secure or maintain that relationship on our own. We need Jesus.

In John 4, we encounter a royal official who came to Jesus for help (John 4:46). Lots of people came to Jesus for help, but this man’s actions were significant. He had social standing. He was an officer serving the ruling leaders who were Romans. These people looked down their classic Roman noses at the despised Jews in this backwater country. They were superior!

For this one official, though, he didn’t feel quite so superior when his son became ill. Here was this Jewish man with a growing reputation for doing what no one else could, and in this moment, this Roman needed something no one else could do. So, he humbled himself and came to Jesus.

In that moment of humility and trust, the man received the help he desired. His son was healed.

Friend, I don’t know what you’re facing in this moment but don’t face it alone. You need Jesus. I like doing things myself, but I certainly need Jesus. Moving pianos in my garage is one thing; facing down temptation is a whole other matter. I need Jesus. Helping my sister facing cancer is something I am woefully inadequate for; I need Jesus. Gaining forgiveness, walking in patience, displaying kindness. All these things I can’t do on my own. I need Jesus.

And you do too. Join me in letting go of any pride and self-reliance. Let’s walk in humble reliance on the power and presence of Jesus in our lives.

“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand” (Isa. 41:10).

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