The Intersection Of Our Lives

Like the edges of circles that overlap on a graph, so also human lives cannot escape intersecting. Our intersections or encounters with others may be brief as with a stranger, but then again friends, family and co-workers all start off as strangers from some point in life and hopefully move forward from there.

For the believers in Christ, I would challenge us all to take care of our circle, our world by keeping a close walk with Jesus before and as our circle intersects with others or as our life touches the lives of others. I know my life is always a work in progress and my world would be a better place if I would obey Jesus, because my world touches yours.

Jesus says to help others and point out their issue, but Jesus also says if we have the same problem, we need to deal with it first, then come and help our friend or family member. Jesus said it like this - 

"first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye." (Matthew 7:5)

When Paul wrote the believers in Rome, he stated his situation and the same situation for many of the rest of us very well -

"For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing." (Romans 7:18-19)

We only have to wait until verse 25 of this same chapter to receive the answer and a synopsis of the problem, Paul states - 

"Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin."

Until our bodies and minds are glorified or transformed at the rapture, there will be a constant battle between mind and body, thought-life and physical desires. However, Jesus is our deliverer in any situation or circumstance. So, here are three handles to grasp for help -

1. Walk with, talk with and obey Jesus.
2. Deal with whatever "it" happens to currently be in your life.
3. Aide others when you have dealt with "it" and/or help others.

The challenge with this process is to be in step with Jesus to the point that we place a huge pause on having to call on His delivering power while aiding others. The joy and affirmation that believers in Christ have is the assurance of the presence of Jesus with us, through it all, at The Intersection Of Our Lives.