Galatians 6:2 – Share each other's troubles and problems, and in this way obey the law of Christ. (NLT)

One of my clients has a couple of finches. They are such tiny little birds. I had never seen such little birds up close before. But there was something even smaller in the cage. There were about six teeny little eggs in the nest. I couldn't believe the size of them. I could hardly wait until they hatched and I could see those teeny little birds. The next time I was there, the eggs were gone — but there were no baby finches either.

I was told the eggs did hatch and the young were doing fine until the male finch tried to fix the nest for the mother and her babies. In doing that, he fluffed things up in the nest and added more "comfortable stuff" to make it better for the babies. The problem, though, was that in doing this, the babies were smothered.

How often we try to "fix" things for others. So many times, we "smother" those we're trying to fix. We add too much "comfortable stuff" in their lives. We often enable them to carry on in their dysfunctional ways. There is a difference between "fixing" and legitimately helping others. Fixing is not helping them to see their own issues that need to be dealt with. Supporting and encouraging is helping them to see what they need to do in order to grow. If the finch had "helped" with the young, they would have grown to healthy adults. But "fixing" destroyed them. May it be our goal to help others to grow to maturity — and at the same time, not to fix them. We all need to see that we are responsible for our own actions. If we don't allow others to take responsibility for their actions, it doesn't help them one little bit.

Galatians 6:5 – For we are each responsible for our own conduct. (NLT)

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we see so many needy, hurting people in our world. They need help. We know their healing comes from You alone. We are told, though, to share their troubles and problems. Please show us where we can be an encouragement and bear the burdens You want us to, but also show us, if we do bear the burdens that they need to, where we are fixing and smothering instead offering help. Grant us to be ever sensitive to Your leading. Amen.

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About the author:

Judy Miller <gjmiller@telusplanet.net>
Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada
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