If I say, “My foot slips,” Your mercy, O Lord, will hold me up. In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul. (Psalm 94:18-19)
It is written, “You shall not take a stand against the life of your neighbor” (Leviticus 19:16). A more literal translation of this verse is, “Do not stand idly by (or “over”) the blood of your neighbor.” In other words, if one sees his neighbor in trouble and has the ability to do something, he must do everything in his power to help him — whether he is a friend or a foe. This concept is underscored repeatedly throughout the Scripture and is even extended to the property of your enemy — it is written, “If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying under its burden … you shall surely help him with it” (Exodus 23:5).
As God’s people, we should never kick someone when they’re down; if we see someone who is about to walk off the side of a cliff, we should not push them closer to the edge. Instead we are to warn them, assist them and, if possible, prevent their fall. In other words, we are to behave toward our fellow man — even those who have not been so kind to us — in a manner that reflects how God acts toward us. As the psalmist said, “If my foot slips, Your mercy, O Lord, will hold me up.” Rather than hastening our fall, the Lord, who is compassionate and kind, supports us lest we tumble and injure ourselves.
Granted, if we are determined to be headstrong, defiant and determined to walk in obedience, God will allow us to suffer the consequences of our choices. But even then, He is quick to forgive the repentant and restore those whose hearts are turned back toward Him. So the point is this — God is for us and not against us. He has no desire that we should stumble toward destruction; He desires that we would overcome and be victorious. That is why, when we cry out to Him humbly in our moments of weakness and distress, He upholds us. It is written, “The Lord upholds the righteous (Psalm 37:17); He upholds all who fall, and raises up all who are bowed down” (Psalm 145:14).
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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