Reasons to Walk Through Life with Others

In Colossians 2:6 I read, “And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him.” (NLT)

The Bible often compares life to a walk because life is a journey—I’m not sitting still.

The New Testament repeatedly says that I should walk in wisdom, love, light, and obedience. It tells me to walk as Jesus walked—including walking alongside others.

Here are three reasons I’m learning for the need to walk with others:

It’s safer. Walking alone at night through a dark alley or down a lonely country road is a little scary. But if I have another person with me, I feel safer.

It’s supportive. Life is not a 50-yard dash; it’s a marathon. Walking with others gives me the energy to keep on going until the end. 

It’s smarter. I learn more by walking with others than by walking alone. If I’m walking alone in the wrong direction, I may never realize it. But if I have a friend beside you, one of us is likely to recognize that I’ve veered off the path. Then we can find the right direction together.

There are other ways I get smarter by walking with others, ones in which important lessons can be learned together.

I learn how to get along and cooperate with others.

I will also learn how to love. Genesis 2:18 says, “It is not good for the man to be alone” (NIV). Community is God’s answer to loneliness. When I walk alongside others, I find a community where I learn how to love.

Walking alongside others teaches you hospitality. The Bible says in 1 Peter 4:9, “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling” (NIV).

What’s my grumble? What’s my excuse for not opening my home to friends? Maybe I think, “My home is dirty!” Well, clean it up! Or perhaps my excuse is, “My home isn’t big enough.” Can I put three people in it? Jesus says, “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:20 NIV).

Everybody has a longing for belonging because God made us for relationships. When I walk alongside other Christians in the community, I find that longing satisfied.

In summary, the Bible often compares life to a walk because life is a journey. I should walk in wisdom, love, light, and obedience. Scripture tells me to walk as Jesus walked—including walking alongside others. Here are some reasons I’m learning for the need to walk with others: It’s safer. Walking alone at night is a little scary. But if I have another person with me, I feel safer. It’s supportive. Life is not a 50-yard dash; it’s a marathon. Walking with others gives me the energy to keep on going. It’s smarter. I learn more by walking with others than by walking alone. If I’m walking alone in the wrong direction, I may never realize it. There are other ways I get smarter by walking with others. I learn how to get along and cooperate with others. I will also learn how to love. Community is God’s answer to loneliness. When I walk alongside others, I find a community where I learn how to love. Walking alongside others teaches me hospitality. Everybody has a longing for belonging because God made us for relationships. When I walk alongside other Christians in the community, I find that longing satisfied. 

Receiving Christ as Lord of my life is the beginning of life with Christ. But I must continue to follow his leadership by being rooted, built up, and strengthened in the faith.  Christ wants to guide and help me with my daily problems. I can live for Christ by (1) committing my life and submitting my will to him; (2) seeking to learn from him, his life, and his teachings; and (3) recognizing the Holy Spirit's power in me. 

The Lords Name Represents Strength and Safety

In review of Proverbs 18:10 it says, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run to it and are safe.”

Bottom Line:

The name of the Lord represents a strong tower. The righteous find safety in Him.

What this means to me:

The name of my Lord represents a strong tower and fortress. I can run him and be safe.

Today’s passage comes from Proverbs 18. It speaks of security. People often look to other things for security and protection, such as their wealth. While we think it can, money cannot provide ultimate safety; there are too many ways for it to lose its power. For example the government may cease to back it; thieves may come and steal it; inflation may rob it of all of it's value. However God never loses his power. He is always dependable. So where will I look to when I need security and safety? I need God to move on my behalf each and every day keeping watch over me, protecting me, leading me and guiding me.  

God is my strong tower! I can run to Him in my time of adversity for rescue. He is all-knowing and all-powerful. I will never face an enemy that could not be defeated by the almighty God. When things appear grim for me and I’m surrounded by adversity, I can look to the ONe who holds the world in the palm of His hand, who knows my every thought and counts my tears. I can then rest assure that everything is going to be alright.

Developing A Safety Net

In review of 1 Peter 3:8 it says, “Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude.”

Bottom line:

All of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.

What this means to me:

I am to have a like-mind (same attitude), live in harmony and understand others.  I am to love them like family. I am to always be compassionate and humble in my interactions. In life tough times and tragedies are inevitable; and no matter what, I will face them. However I don’t need to go through them alone. I need God’s safety net to help hold me up through the difficult times. God’s safety net is a group of other believers, a handful of people who are really committed to each other and myself. This group is call a “community.” Here’s God’s plan for community: “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it” (1 Corinthians 12:26a). Community is God’s answer to despair. Romans 12:15 expresses a very similar idea: “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” The first part of that verse is easy. When something good happens to someone, it’s easy to join in on the party. But when someone is having a tough time, it can be more difficult. But, really, it’s quite simple. When going through a crisis, advice is not what is always required; in fact we often just want somebody to be there to sit with you, put an arm around your shoulder, or cry with you. As Paul tells us, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11a). Encouraging someone else doesn’t always mean giving a pep talk or words of wisdom. Sometimes the best kind of encouragement is just sitting in silence, waiting and weeping with a friend. It’s important to have a safety net, a committed group of fellow Christians I know that I can count on in life’s toughest times. The hard times in life are inevitable, and only a fool would go into them unprepared. It’s important for me to be building this type of friendships in my life. Today I will start to consider who I can continue to build community with in order to reach that level of commitment.  I will also consider what practical ways I can provide someone else with a safety net.