Recently I flew from Buffalo to Houston to visit my sister. I hadn’t seen her in over ten years! But as we’ve gotten older, even though we now live far apart, we have realized that we need each other. She is my only sibling and I desperately wanted to spend some time with her. Because I have a disability and am basically confined to a wheelchair, I do not take trips alone. I want and need someone I know and trust to be with me for help and support. (This time it was my daughter who traveled with me, and I am thankful she was there, because I definitely needed her help.)

While I was in Texas, I enjoyed seeing all the palm trees that were in the area and often lined the streets. These beautiful trees stand tall and stretch high towards the sky. To me they are elegant and exotic. But what I really noticed were the wooden supports at the base of some of the trees. I wondered about it and thought maybe palm trees aren’t as strong as they appear.

I learned a few things. Palm trees are quite resilient to the wind, even the strongest winds of a hurricane. They bend with the force of the storm and are not easily broken or uprooted. They have a somewhat shallow, but very wide, horizontal root system that keeps them standing. However, when a palm tree is initially planted, these roots are not yet developed and the wooden braces are attached to give the trees the support they need to face the storm.

Some of us need help and support, too. I am not a strong person. My physical disability is degenerative and worsens with time, so I am accustomed to asking for help when I need it. It’s always been a part of my life. But it’s different when the support we need is of an emotional or spiritual nature. This kind of need is not easily recognized, and we hesitate to ask for that kind of help because we don’t want to be seen as weak.

The Bible urges us to have strong roots! We are exhorted to be “rooted and grounded in love”, to be “rooted and built up in Him” and to be “established in the faith.” We are told in Proverbs that “the root of the righteous shall not be moved.” But sometimes when the strong winds of life blow our way, our roots don’t always feel strong enough. This is when we need the help and support of those around us. And that’s okay. God does not condemn us when we are weak. Instead, we are urged to be an encouragement to each other. This verse in 1 Thessalonians is very clear:

Comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. –1 Thessalonians 5:14 (NKJV) Encourage the timid and fainthearted, help and give your support to the weak souls, [and] be very patient with everybody. –1 Thessalonians 5:14 (AMPC)

Sometimes I feel like that newly planted palm tree facing a storm and in need of help and support to remain unscathed and whole. But I also hope there are times that I can be the support that helps someone else to remain standing in their own personal storm. This is what it means to “Carry each other’s burdens…” (Galatians 6:2).

I am reminded of a popular song from the 70’s by Bill Withers titled “Lean On Me.” Here are some of the lyrics:

Sometimes in our lives We all have pain We all have sorrow … Lean on me When you’re not strong And I’ll be your friend I’ll help you carry on… For it won’t be long Till I need somebody to lean on You just call on me, brother, When you need a hand We all need somebody to lean on I just might have a problem that you’ll understand We all need somebody to lean on If there is a load you have to bear That you can’t carry I’m just up the road I’ll share your load If you just call me.

That song expresses it well. It’s about sharing burdens and holding each other up during difficult times. Depending on someone else is a mutual and universal need that we all have at some point in our lives. Not only should we be there for one another, but we also shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help and support when we need it. It’s a fact and it’s a blessing: we need each other!

If you need HELP & SUPPORT, please ask!

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