Going down?

A true friend never gets in your way unless you happen to be going down. 

(Arnold H. Glasow)

Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important. (Galatians 6:1-3)

Gently and humbly help that person back up - this is a command, not an 'optional function' of those who are in relationship with Jesus. We all are subject to falling from time to time. Temptation just gets to us at a weak moment, and we succumb to the temptation. The response from those we call 'friends' in this walk with Jesus are given one instruction - restore them to the right path. 

I have been lost on occasion, finding myself in a part of town I don't know well, trying to find an address that is not well marked. In those moments, I wished for a 'stranger' along the roadway that I might ask for assistance. If we can be lost on a roadway, searching for an address, and are willing to ask a total stranger for assistance in finding it, why are we so unwilling to accept the gentle correction of a friend who is really just trying to help us get back on course with Jesus?

We might think they are 'meddling', or that they have 'no room to talk', but truth be told, God places us in relationship with each other because we need to help each other find 'right direction' from time to time. We never really appreciate correction when it is being given, but at some point, we will look back and realize that 'redirection' of a friend was what got us back on track. That friend isn't 'in our way' all of the time - we interpret them as 'in the way' when they are attempting to block us from taking a wrong path! Just sayin!