HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 348
page A346
Vulnerability continued
• 2 S A MU E L 1 8 :3 3 | The king was overcome with emotion. He went up to the room over the
gateway and burst into tears. And as he went, he cried, “O my son Absalom! My son, my
son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you! O Absalom, my son, my son.”
It is not a sign of weakness to display your emotions. It is, rather, a sign of your humanity
and an important component of your emotional health.
How can I help those who are vulnerable?
• G E NE S I S 9 :2 2 -2 3 | Ham, the father of Canaan, saw that his father was naked and went
outside and told his brothers. Then Shem and Japheth took a robe, held it over their
shoulders, and backed into the tent to cover their father. As they did this, they looked the
other way so they would not see him naked.
• PR O V E R B S 2 3 :1 0 | Don’t cheat your neighbor by moving the ancient boundary markers;
don’t take the land of defenseless orphans.
When someone is vulnerable, they are easily taken advantage of. Do what you can to
“cover” those who are vulnerable and to protect them from being exploited.
• I SA I A H 5 8 :7 | Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give
clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help.
V
• L U K E 1 0 :3 3 -3 4 | “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he
felt compassion for him. Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive
oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him
to an inn, where he took care of him.”
HelpFinder
Help those who are vulnerable in order to restore them to a stronger position. You do
this by treating them with mercy, compassion, and kindness and by providing whatever
resources you can.
• PSA L M 8 2 :4 | Rescue the poor and helpless; deliver them from the grasp of evil people.
• PR O V E R B S 3 1 :9 | Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.
God wants you to rescue the vulnerable so others will not take advantage of them.
• 2 T I MOT H Y 3 :6 , 9 | They [false teachers] are the kind who work their way into people’s
homes and win the confidence of vulnerable women who are burdened with the guilt of
sin and controlled by various desires. . . . But they won’t get away with this for long.
Leaders must not take advantage of anyone who is vulnerable.
Is God vulnerable in any way?
• I SA I A H 5 3 :1 2 | I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed
himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.
God, in the form of Jesus Christ, made himself vulnerable to abuse and death at the hands
of evil people so that we could have eternal life.
• MAT T H E W 4 :1 | Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by
the devil.
Jesus made himself vulnerable to temptation. But he was able to resist, proving he was
the perfect Son of God. Only someone perfect could take upon himself the sins of the
world and defeat sin and evil forever.
Should leaders be vulnerable and open with those they lead?
• 2 C H R O NI C L E S 2 0 :1 2 | “O our God, won’t you stop them? We are powerless against this
mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to
you for help.”
• PSA L M 5 1 :1 2 -1 4 | Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey
you. Then I will teach your ways to rebels, and they will return to you. Forgive me for
shedding blood, O God who saves; then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness.
• MAT T H E W 2 6 :3 6 -3 9 | Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane,