WHEN STRONG FRIENDS HURT

In 2 Kings chapter 2, the prophet Elijah was about to leave this world, and he knew it.  However, being a strong, go-it-alone type-A kind of guy (1 Kings 18:22), Elijah didn’t want to worry anyone---- especially his closest friend Elisha.

And it came to pass, when the Lord was about to take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to Bethel.” (2 Kings 2: 1, 2)

Elisha though sensed that something was wrong, and he replied, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” So they went down to Bethel [together]. (2 Kings 2: 2)

Elijah went from Bethel to Jericho and from Jericho all the way across the Jordan.  At each point in the journey to his end, Elijah told his friend, “Don’t worry about me.  Stay here.  I’ll go on alone.”

Each time Elisha replied, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!”

When the end came, Elisha was there with Elijah. 

Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. …Now when the sons of the prophets who were from Jericho saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” (2 Kings 2: 11, 15)

The strong man did not have to face the fiery chariot alone, and Elisha gained a doubled connection to the spirit of his friend and mentor.

Strong, go-it-alone, I-got-this, type-A kind of people don’t share their pain.  It’s out of character for them to admit that they are hurting.  So when they do, it means that they hurt BAD.

By the time you get to them to comfort them they may say, “Oh, I’m fine now.  Don’t worry about me.  I’ll go on alone.”

They’re not fine.  They’re just back in character. 

If they were in enough pain to actually admit to hurting in the first place, that pain was at a level that doesn’t just go away. 

But they will jump back into their routine.  They’ll work from here to Bethel, to Jericho, and all the way across the Jordan.  And, while they’re working they’ll say, “I’m fine.”

They’re not. 

They’re still hurting.  They’re just back in character.

Your job in those times is to be their Elisha. 

You can’t fix it for type-A, go-it-alone kind of people.  The problem, the pain, the flaming chariot that’s coming is theirs alone to ride.  And they don’t expect you to fix it,  but they need you to be there.  They really need you to just be there while they hurt for a while.

If you can understand that and just be there, your presence will give them the strength to face what’s coming, and the experience will leave you with a greater portion in the spiritual connection between you.

---Anderson T. Graves II   is a writer, community organizer and consultant for education, ministry, and rural leadership development.

Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is pastor of Hall Memorial CME Church in Montgomery, Alabama, executive director of the Substance Abuse Youth Networking Organization (SAYNO) and director of rural leadership development for the National Institute for Human Development (NIHD).

Email atgravestwo2@aol.com
Friend me at www.facebook.com/rev.a.t.graves

To hear sermons, read devotions, and learn more about the ministry at Hall Memorial CME Church, visit www.hallmemorialcme.blogspot.com .

You can read more on Pastor Graves's personal blog at www.andersontgraves.blogspot.com  .

If this message helps or touches you, please help support this ministry. Send a donation of any amount by check or money order.
Mail all contributions to :
Hall Memorial CME Church
541 Seibles Road
Montgomery, AL 36116

A WORD TO THE WISE. Proverbs 31: 13. "She's Got Work to Do"

Proverbs 31: 13     She seeks wool and flax, and willingly works with her hands.

Proverbs 31:13.  The American concept of a “stay at home mom” is fascinatingly unbiblical.  The Bible does not teach this idea--- at least not the way we generally interpret it in America.

The Biblical ideal is a woman who brings value to the family.  Yes, she is a woman who brings good, godly VALUES to the home; but right now I’m talking about how she brings personal, spiritual, emotional, and financial VALUE.

What the Bible depicts would be more accurately expressed by the phrase “WORK from home mom.” 

The virtuous woman of Proverbs 31 is an entrepreneur, a shrewd negotiator, a manger of resources.  She’s a BOSS.   And she loves the role.

She has domestic skills, but she is not a mindless domestic.  She is comfortable in the sewing room and in the boardroom.     (Which, if you think about it, is a pretty good complement to the ideal man who can afford a Mercedes but also mows the yard and changes the oil.)

The virtuous woman of Proverbs 31 works with her mind and with her hands  just as the man was doing when God made woman, back in Genesis chapter 2.  
God’s design for husband and God’s design for wife are perfectly matched to bring value to their home.

The Bible does not exalt the image of a woman just “staying” at home  because she isn’t allowed to go do anything.   Go back and read again Titus 2: 4, 5.  Older women are commanded to mentor younger women and to

… teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. (King James Version)

A “keeper,” not a stayer.  A “keeper” was a guardian, a protector, the commander of the gate, the inspector of goods, the first line of defense until the army could get there.  A boss. 

A wife’s job is to help her husband bring value to the home.   
Much love to those women who can do that from the home address.   But the value has to come in, even if you can’t “stay” at the house and get it.

(And that is the difference between a Biblical housewife and a cultural trophy wife.)

Sometimes a woman has to go beyond the home to get that value and bring it back.   She has to go bring it from afar. (Proverbs 31: 4)
But home is still homebase, still headquarters, still the place where she comes back to stand with her husband, pool what they have, and build something greater.
At least, that’s how the Bible puts it.

I’ve kept you long enough, sister.  Go on, girl.  You’ve got work to do.

--Anderson T. Graves II   is a writer, community organizer and consultant for education, ministry, and leadership development.   

Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is pastor of Hall Memorial CME Church in Montgomery, Alabama, executive director of the Substance Abuse Youth Networking Organization (SAYNO) and director of rural leadership development for the National Institute for Human Development (NIHD).

Email atgravestwo2@aol.com
Friend me at www.facebook.com/rev.a.t.graves

To hear sermons, read devotions, and learn more about the ministry at Hall Memorial CME Church, visit www.hallmemorialcme.blogspot.com .

You can read more on Pastor Graves's personal blog at www.andersontgraves.blogspot.com  .

If this message helps or touches you, please help support this ministry. Send a donation of any amount by check or money order.
Mail all contributions to :
Hall Memorial CME Church
541 Seibles Road
Montgomery, AL 36116

Proverbs 31: 13. "She's Got Work to Do"

Proverbs 31: 13     She seeks wool and flax, and willingly works with her hands.

Proverbs 31:13.  The American concept of a “stay at home mom” is fascinatingly unbiblical.  The Bible does not teach this idea--- at least not the way we generally interpret it in America.

The Biblical ideal is a woman who brings value to the family.  Yes, she is a woman who brings good, godly VALUES to the home; but right now I’m talking about how she brings personal, spiritual, emotional, and financial VALUE.
 

What the Bible depicts would be more accurately expressed by the phrase “WORK from home mom.” 

 

The virtuous woman of Proverbs 31 is an entrepreneur, a shrewd negotiator, a manger of resources.  She’s a BOSS.   And she loves the role.

She has domestic skills, but she is not a mindless domestic.  She is comfortable in the sewing room and in the boardroom.     (Which, if you think about it, is a pretty good complement to the ideal man who can afford a Mercedes but also mows the yard and changes the oil.)

The virtuous woman of Proverbs 31 works with her mind and with her hands  just as the man was doing when God made woman, back in Genesis chapter 2.    God’s design for husband and God’s design for wife are perfectly matched to bring value to their home.

The Bible does not exalt the image of a woman just “staying” at home  because she isn’t allowed to go anywhere or do anything.   Go back and read again Titus 2: 4, 5.  Older women are commanded to mentor younger women and to

… teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. (King James Version)

A “keeper,” not a stayer.  A “keeper” was a guardian, a protector, the commander of the gate, the inspector of goods, the first line of defense until the army could get there.  A boss. 

A wife’s job is to help her husband bring value to the home.   

Much love to those women who can do that from the home address.   But the value has to come in, even if you can’t “stay” at the house and get it.

(And that is the difference between a Biblical housewife and a cultural trophy wife.)

 

Sometimes a woman has to go beyond the home to get that value and bring it back.   She has to go bring it from afar. (Proverbs 31: 4)
But home is still homebase, still headquarters, still the place where she comes back to stand with her husband, pool what they have, and build something greater.

At least, that’s how the Bible puts it.

 

I’ve kept you long enough, sister.  Go on, girl.  You’ve got work to do.

--Anderson T. Graves II   is a writer, community organizer and consultant for education, ministry, and leadership development.

Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is pastor of Hall Memorial CME Church in Montgomery, Alabama, executive director of the Substance Abuse Youth Networking Organization (SAYNO) and director of rural leadership development for the National Institute for Human Development (NIHD).

Email atgravestwo2@aol.com
Friend me at www.facebook.com/rev.a.t.graves

To hear sermons, read devotions, and learn more about the ministry at Hall Memorial CME Church, visit www.hallmemorialcme.blogspot.com .

You can read more on Pastor Graves's personal blog at www.andersontgraves.blogspot.com  .

If this message helps or touches you, please help support this ministry. Send a donation of any amount by check or money order.
Mail all contributions to :
Hall Memorial CME Church
541 Seibles Road
Montgomery, AL 36116