Some time ago a man was moving a very large, heavy piano and in the process it fell on his big toe crushing it very badly, so much so that the doctors recommended amputation. The man refused, so over the months there were operations, many stitches, infections, immense pain and suffering. There were many doctors’ visits, investment in treatments and medications, and thank the Lord the end result was healing and the toe was restored rather than amputated.

As I heard the story I thought of the above mentioned verses, and I wondered if I would have the same attitude if the “member” was rather a brother or sister in the Lord who had been crushed in some way or another. Would I invest such time, expense, pain, and effort to see my brother healed or restored.

Cain once asked God if he was his brother’s keeper; the answer is, yes we are. In Hebrews we are told to lift up the hands which hang down and the feeble knees.

We see the “good Samaritan” risking himself and also investing financially to help the one who had fallen victim to thieves and was lying on the roadside half dead. In Philippians 4:3 we read that Paul urged a companion to help two sisters to be reconciled, and he implored the sisters to be like-minded. On another occasion Paul wrote beseeching Philemon to forgive and receive guilty Onesimus, asking that anything owed be put to his own account.

May we too, as members of the body of Christ, care for each other in a sacrificial way.