According to a song, The Beatles apparently got by with a little help from their friends.
Simon and Garfunkel sang ironically about being a rock, and an island, feeling no pain and never crying.
These song lyrics show two different ways of living – choosing community or choosing isolation, and pretending all is well.
We were made for community. There is an African proverb which I love, called ‘Ubuntu’. It means “A person is a person because of other person’s”. It links in with the one about it taking a whole village to raise a child. No room for any ‘kingdoms of isolation’ here (sorry, Elsa). For the Church, John Wesley had this to say: “There is no such thing as a solitary Christian”. Wow.
In the Bible, Paul writes “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). The reference is on the bracelet in this picture, along with the words “WE NEED EACH OTHER”.
Most of us don’t like asking for help – probably because we think it looks weak (it doesn’t) – but if we receive help we tend to be grateful for it! Jesus sent his disciples out in twos – never alone – and even the trinity or ‘Godhead’ is three-in-one: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, all in perfect community.
I wonder what you make of all this? From whom do you need to say the brave word ‘help’ right now? And who has a need that you can meet? Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.