Protecting the Vulernable
Just recently I had to deliver some cookie dough to my son’s soccer coach as part of his school fundraiser. We sat out on his driveway and engaged in a conversation. While sitting there, he let his two dogs come outside with us. They are these beautiful and muscular dogs. A breed that I have never encountered. Interestingly, they have a line of hair that runs down the center of their back that seems to lay in the opposite direction as the rest of their hair. I asked him what kind of dogs they were. He told me they were Rhodesian Ridgebacks and were native to the southern part of Africa. Ok, so I know you are wondering, what does a dog from Africa have to do with protecting the vulnerable?
Well, I began to ask him questions about the breed and became extremely fascinated with what I learned. If you have ever logged any time on the Discovery Channel or the National Geographic Channel then you know one of the premiere predators is from this part of the world, the lion. Now, you may be thinking ok so they hunt and kill lions…well, not quite. While they are used to hunt lions, what caught my interest the most was how they protected the hunters. When the hunters go into the safari on a hunt, they take upwards of twenty-five to thirty Rhodesian Ridgebacks with them. The dogs, spread out and create a barrier around the hunters to ward off any threats from the lions. If one of these dogs were to square off against a lion, there is little doubt that the lion would most likely win but when the pack works together, they not only ward off attacks on themselves but also those they are protecting.
So, what does a Rhodesian Ridgeback have to do with us as Christians? Everything! Psalm 82:3-4 tells us to “give justice to the weak and the fatherless, maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.” I am sure that at different times in our lives we have found ourselves on the weak side of faith. It is in these times that we are most vulnerable to the one who comes in like a lion to destroy us. It is also in these moments that the men close to us step in and create the protective barrier around us to shield us from the one who wants nothing more than to see us die in our suffering. These are the moments we are called to protect those that are weak!
Christianity is NOT a Lone Ranger journey. We need each other! There is a cost to this. It will require you to step outside of your own situations at times to recognize a need in front of you. We can no longer sit by idle while our neighbors are being devoured by the throws of life. We have to be vigilant in our walk. We have to be aware of our surroundings. We have to firm in our faith!
If you are weak and are reading this, lay down your pride long enough to surround yourself with some men who will have your back. Don’t be afraid to admit when you are in a weak place. There is no shame in your weakness, but there is certain death in your pride to try and hide it. There are brothers standing by ready to fight for you!
Now, if you are reading this and you are in a strong place, be aware of the weak around you. Not every struggling person will admit they need you, but know them well enough to see. Be the Rhodesian Ridgeback that surrounds them and shelters them from the lion in shadows. You not only have a right to step in, you have a responsibility!
Proverbs 24:11 says to “rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.” We as men have a responsibility to each other. It was woven into the fabric of our DNA by the God who created us! God has given us the charge and now it is our order to keep. We were never expected to complete this race alone. It is time we began to protect the vulnerable.
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