Strength in Numbers?
“Then everyone deserted him and fled.”
Mark 14:50 (NIV)
It’s wonderful for believers to be present at the house of God to worship, join in prayer, hear Scripture explained, mingle with the other believers, and sing praises to our great God. These times can develop our faith, and give us resources to return to a hostile world for another week. What we need to guard against, however, is a fortress mentality that causes us to be strong in church (when absent from the daily grind), but leaves us weak and ineffective when we leave the church fellowship.
When the disciples were in the presence of Jesus, they believed themselves to be invincible. They boasted that they were spiritual enough to follow Jesus to the death if necessary.
“But Peter insisted emphatically, ’Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.’ And all the others said the same“. (Mark 14:31 NLT)
On the night Jesus was betrayed, however, “…everyone deserted him and fled“. (Mark 14:50 NIV)
It’s similar to young children who are brave when a parent is near, but easily frightened when alone. We too, like the disciples, may be confident when we’re with other believers, but not so much when they’re not around.
Many times over the years I’ve witnessed a seemingly strong believer crumble in the presence of adversity. I’ve experienced such a time myself.
None of us are immune to stumbling in our daily adventure. Let’s remember this when we’re tempted to judge others who’ve fallen down in their Christian journey. If the disciples (who walked with Jesus 24/7 for three and a half years) could abandon Him in Gethsemane, we’re not safe from everyday pitfalls.
“So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.” (Romans 14:13 NLT)
A father may have unruly children, but instead of admitting his problem as a parent, he’ll criticize another father in the same situation.
If you have critics who find it important to point out where you’ve fallen down in the Christian life, remember that the most privileged of people (such as the apostles) could fail in times of trial.
“Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you.“ (James 4:11 NLT)
You may have stumbled as a believer. Perhaps it was a moral issue (like King David), cowardice in witnessing for Jesus (like the disciples in Gethsemane), or some other situation when your faith was fractured. Always remember that Jesus is full of compassion and forgiveness. Return to Him and find the strength and grace to have your faith mended, and yourself restored to active service.