A couple weekends ago, my friend was in a half-triathlon, I think. I didn’t get all the details. (Why anyone would call a 67 bike ride, a 3 mile run, and some kind of a long swim, “half” – I’ll never know.) Anyway, it was during the bike ride when my friend’s strength faded and he fell to the back of the pack.

Soon, a friend of his dropped back with him and without saying anything, put his hand on my friend’s back and gently pushed him up with the rest of the riders. In fact, they made it to the front of the pack for awhile. His “pusher” let go and my friend eventually slipped to the back of the pack again. Several times, the “pusher” came and pushed him up with the rest of the pack.

This generous act deeply affected my friend. It also tugged at something deep within me. And it still is. You see, this next phase of my life, I’m going to need a lot of “pushing” from others. It is driving me a bit crazy thinking of all the needs I’m going to have and how much others are going to need to “push” me forward.
This morning I looked up the word “push” in my Bible. However, each time it is used, it has a negative connotation. It reads like someone is being manhandled. As I prayed and meditated on it, I felt God saying, “I will not be pushing you, I will help you.”


I realized the way I am thinking about it was wrong. Honestly, I’ve been seeing it from a very prideful mindset; I actually feel really guilty that others are going to need to push me along. I should be able to do it myself, shouldn’t I?? I see a whole lot of “me” and “I” reflected there.

I looked up the word, “help” in my Bible and it gave a whole new perspective on things:

  • “The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Genesis 2:18
  • “Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” Exodus 4:12
  • “And Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God.” 1 Samuel 23:16
  • “O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me.” Psalm 30:2
  • “Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.” Psalm 54:4
  • “Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” Mark 9:24
  • “Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong.” Acts 3:7
  • “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” Romans 8:26
  • “Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.” 2 Timothy 1:14
  • “So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” Hebrews 13:6

I could keep going with these, but I think we get the idea..

In God’s eyes, help is something we do out of love and mercy toward each other. God to us, us to others with God’s help. It is part of who God is and wants to be in our lives. I think of how I feel when I help others, I certainly don’t see it as “pushing”. I see it as an honor to walk along beside someone, helping them reach the goal before them.

Why do most of us struggle when the shoe is on the other foot? For me, it’s pride and fear – pride that I am capable or should be capable of doing it on my own – fear of needing to rely on others and God to help me. As I confess both of these things, it looks pretty pathetic in black and white, doesn’t it?