I Need Somebody

“Julius, in kindness to Paul, allowed him to go to his friends so they might provide for his needs.”  Acts 27:3

Co-dependent.

None of us wants that word said of us.  We think it reeks of weakness, neediness, and fragility.  Instead, we want to know—and we want others to know—that we are competent, capable, self-assured, and self-sufficient.  But we are not.  Though we may present a convincing façade of independence, even our next breath depends on someone else, so it’s time we got over ourselves and embraced our dependence on God and on each other.

The Apostle Paul had needs.  He wasn’t afraid to say so, and he wasn’t too proud to go get help.  After his presentation to King Agrippa, Paul and “some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion named Julius…and put out to sea” toward Rome(Acts 27:1).  When the boat docked in Sidon, “Julius, in kindness to Paul, allowed him to go to his friends so they might provide for his needs”(Acts 27:3).  Paul could have stayed on the ship and pretended to be independent, but he would have missed out on receiving God’s blessing and his friends would have missed out on being a blessing.

So, the next time you need something, let somebody know. Get off the boat and into God’s blessings.  We were created in Christ to love each other(Jn 13:34), honor each other(Rom 12:10), live in harmony with one another(Rom 12:16), accept each other(Rom 15:7), instruct each other(Rom 15:14), serve one another(Gal 5:13), forgive each other(Eph 4:32), encourage each other(1 Thess 5:11), pray for each other(James 5:16), carry each other’s burdens(Gal 5:2), and look out for each other’s interests(Phil 2:4).  We’re better together than we could ever be by ourselves, and it’s not a bad thing to know so, say so, and live so. 

Only when we are completely dependent on God’s grace and co-dependent on each other’s goodness will the world clearly see the sufficiency of Christ—the only One who can supply all that all of us need.