The Bible frequently mentions that God blesses those who care about the poor and the needy. The plight of the poor is not what God wants. God intends for our generosity to mirror His own spontaneous giving. We should bless others as He has blessed us.
The support of fellow believers during times of spiritual trouble is a blessing that comes from Christ. Strong people should help the weak.
Spiritual individuals assist others in overcoming shortcomings. As a result, sharing one another's burdens is an integral part of the “law of Christ” (Galatians 6:1-2).
We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves (Romans 15:1).
At the same time, strengthening ourselves is our duty. “Bear his own load” is the duty of every Christian. Since we will be held responsible for our actions, it is our duty to pick ourselves up as well (Galatians 6:4-5; Hebrews 12:12-13).
So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God (Romans 14:12).
Some Christians never seem to move beyond receiving support to doing so on their own. They continue to be very dependent on their brethren, and unless they are constantly cared for by the brethren, they will drift away or become indifferent.
In common parlance, such Christians could be referred to as high maintenance. What is meant by being high maintenance? When is high maintenance acceptable?
What High Maintenance Means
Applicable in speech that is used every day: It means that something needs a lot of attention, that it needs to be kept in good order, and that it needs a lot of money, energy, or time.
For example, cars that need continued maintenance to work, employees who need close monitoring so that they do their jobs correctly, or loved ones who need a lot of attention or they lose interest.
Regarding Christians
Christians are high maintenance if they need a lot of love and care to be active and if they need a lot of attention to stay faithful.
Christians who are high maintenance are either infants in Christ who are just starting out in their new spiritual life or lazy Christians who only attend church and work when constantly pushed.
Even churches can need a lot of upkeep. Certainly, the church in Corinth was (1 Corinthians 3:1-4). But not the church in Philippi. (Philippians 1:3-7).
In the work of the local church, some high maintenance is good and necessary. However, there may be issues if it is present in a location where it should not be.
For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder (2 Corinthians 12:20).
High Maintenance Adversity
Where it can be useful: The infant Christian may need high maintenance. They lack faith and knowledge and are highly susceptible, just like a physical baby.
They may soon be overcome if they do not get the attention they need. High maintenance is necessary for the hurting Christian just as it is for someone who is ill or injured, overcome by a fault, afflicted with a physical illness, or subjected to persecution.
They are weak in these situations, and if they do not get the right attention, they might soon become overwhelmed. In such circumstances, high maintenance is unquestionably necessary.
And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone (1 Thessalonians 5:14).
Where harm can occur: It can prevent the church from growing, which happens through evangelism, edification, and charity. However, if too much effort is put into just a few, it might not be.
It can also happen when it slows down workers’ efforts. Paul wanted to preach in places where Christ was not mentioned, but churches like the one in Corinth prevented him from doing so (2 Corinthians 2:12-13).
It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation (Romans 15:20).
It can occur when more serious needs are not met, like when people do not help new converts because other Christians expect to be tended to, or when people do not give the sick and dying enough attention.
In our spiritual lives, there are times when we all require a bit of high maintenance. However, we need to seriously consider and work toward eliminating high-maintenance issues if we want to keep it for those who really need it.
Eliminating High Maintenance
Through personal development: When we are still new converts in Christ, we require a lot of upkeep; however, we ought to arrive at a point where we no longer require it and can instead function as givers rather than takers. The unfortunate situation of the Hebrew Christians merits our consideration.
In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil (Hebrews 5:12-14).
Through each person's strength: When we need strength, the strength of our brothers is certainly helpful; however, we should also reach a point where our strength comes from God, and we can become producers rather than consumers. Let us take Paul's remarkable example as an example (Philippians 4:11-13).
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).
How Does This Apply to Us Today?
We are to bear one another’s burdens, and the strong are to bear with the infirmities of the weak, so the goal here has not been to discourage high maintenance when it is needed (Romans 15:1).
Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2).
The goal has been to push us to consider how we serve Christ and how we contribute to the Kingdom.
Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load(Galatians 6:4-5).
When our fellow believers’ burden becomes unbearable, that is when they need high maintenance. When our inability to support our own weight necessitates high maintenance, we hinder our work for Christ.
One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys (Proverbs 18:9).
For further reading:
Why Is Spiritual Maturity Important?
4 Truths That Will Change How You Care for the Poor
Why You Can't Base Your Spiritual Maturity Just on How Much You Know
Fellowship, Belonging, and What to Do if Your Church Stinks at Both
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/BraunS
