The sky was inky black, the stars shone brightly above us and the wind blew my hair straight up in the air. We watched as sparks flew up into the dark night, as the glassblowers created something out of nothing. It was amazing to see how the
glassblowers would roll the hot glass, blowing it to form shapes and using tongs to manipulate it. My husband and I couldn’t take our eyes off of them!
As the first glassblower worked on his piece, I noticed how he would direct the other glassblower. There were moments when he would need the door to the oven opened, or he needed water to cool the glass, and times when he would just ask for a helping hand. The two glassblowers were caught in a dance together. One glassblower leading and the other following. Then it was time for the other glassblower to blow their piece. This time there was an awkwardness, as each time that the original glassblower would ask if he could help, the other would say, “No, I’m ok”. It happened over and over again as the second glassblower danced all by themselves.
It struck me that night that I was like that second glassblower. I dance by myself all too often. Perhaps you do also. You see, it’s very difficult for me to acknowledge that I need help. Many times when people ask me if I need help I say, “No, I’m ok”, just like that glassblower! My day could be filled with way too many commitments and my stress level could be way over the top, but if someone reaches out to me to help I will say, “No, I’m ok.” But, I’m not ok. The truth is, we all need help.
Why do we reject the help that is offered to us? I believe that for me it is a strong desire to be independent, to not seem fragile or weak. However, doesn’t the Lord say in 2 Corinthians 12:9,
“My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness”?
The truth is, in order for us to really be strong, we have to be weak.
The perfect example for me of a character in the Bible who showed his weakness, and in so doing allowed God to show His strength, was David. Let’s look at an example of David asking for help from Jonathan in 1 Samuel 20:1.
“Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and went and said to Jonathan, ‘What have I done? What is my iniquity, and what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?’”
David is extremely upset, scared for his life, and at his wit’s end. Remember that David is hiding from the most powerful man, King Saul, who wants to kill him. David asks Jonathan, “What have I done”? This is such an important question when we are in a desperate situation. It’s important for us to have a friend that can speak into our lives and that we can trust to be honest with us. We need a friend that can answer the question we many times don’t really want answered, because
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9
Jonathan could answer David’s question and David trusted Jonathan with the answer. In order for us to ask for help, or to receive help, we have to trust the person giving us the help. David and Jonathan were deep friends who loved one another. This is crucial for us as we navigate through our lives. Are we truly connected to others? Do we have a bond of love with others? Do we have individuals in our lives that we can trust?
There is an interesting incident that happened earlier when David slew Goliath.
“Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.” 1 Samuel 18:1
This “knitting together” happened right after David slew Goliath. As Jonathan stood in
the presence of his father and David, God knitted them together. David didn’t even know that he was going to need the friendship that Jonathan was going to provide. God had a solution for David before David even knew he had a problem! In that same way, we need to remember that God will provide someone for us! When we reject someone’s offer for help, we might be rejecting the perfect person that God has provided to help us through our difficulty.
David not only asked Jonathan for help, but, he also asked God for help. If we look later in 2Samuel 22:7 it says,
“In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry entered His ears.”
This verse is part of David’s song that he worshiped God with after he was delivered from all of his enemies along with King Saul. David didn’t say, “No, I’m ok.” He knew that he couldn’t make it on his own, and he wasn’t afraid of being vulnerable and transparent before God.
So many times we actually think that we don’t need God. We think that our problem is too insignificant for God, and that we don’t deserve his attention. Sometimes we think that if we work hard enough we can find the solution. Those are all lies of the enemy. No problem we have is too insignificant for God. He adores His children, so He wants to lavish His attention on us, and He has given us the Holy Spirit to guide us and direct us. King David wasn’t afraid about needing God and needing His help; he welcomed it.
We are all so independent, wanting to be victorious in our own strength that we forget that it is His strength that will bring the help we so desperately need. Let us welcome the help that God provides and let us be the help that others need.
Diana Levine is the Rebbetzin of Kol Mashiach Messianic Synagogue in Melbourne, Florida. One of her favorite activities that she enjoys is studying the word and then sharing the nuggets with anyone who’ll listen. She has spoken at national and regional conferences, retreats, bible studies, and is an avid blogger. She is also the co-founder of the Daughters of Righteousness Conference. Books, travel, amazing food, and great conversation are some of the things that make her happy.
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