Lean on Me
Charlie Brown is the principal character of the comic strip Peanuts, created by Charles Schulz and syndicated in numerous newspapers worldwide. He is depicted as insecure, nervous, and lacking self-confidence, but is also very lovable. Lucy is the obnoxious sister of a friend, and Snoopy is Charlie Brown’s ever-faithful dog.
In one episode, Charlie Brown was pitching baseball and doing a lousy job of it. Lucy was giving him grief, as usual. Finally, he could bear the misery and humiliation no longer. In an expression of exasperation that only Charlie Brown could think of, he stood on his head right there on the pitcher’s mound.
As Lucy’s degrading mockery continued, the ever-loyal Snoopy did the unexpected. He walked onto the pitcher’s mound and stood on his head beside Charlie Brown, sharing his humiliation.
You gotta love it. And Snoopy, by the way, was very biblical. The Bible says, “Weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15) and “Bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2). Snoopy decided it wasn’t appropriate to let Charlie Brown bear his embarrassment alone.
There are two words for “bear” in the New Testament. One, used in Galatians 6:2 above, means “to carry.” The other, used in Colossians 3:13 and Ephesians 4:2, means “to hold oneself up against, (in order to bear up, or sustain something),” much like a person staking a tomato plant to sustain it from the weight it carries. When doing so, the strength of the stake is transferred to the plant and thus “bears” or holds it up. When the Lord commands us to bear with one another in Colossians 3:13 and Ephesians 4:2, He isn’t simply telling us to “get along, or forbear with one another.”
Although we certainly should do that, He is also saying, “Stake yourselves to one another.” In other words, we’re to come alongside a brother or sister who may be in a weakened condition, “weighted down” by a difficult situation, and “stake” ourselves to them. They won’t fall and be broken or destroyed because we are supporting them. Our strength is now theirs.
In 1972, Bill Withers wrote and recorded his great hit, “Lean On Me.” Like Snoopy’s comfort of Charlie Brown, Withers’s song was also very biblical. We all, at times, need someone to lean on.
The following story portrays this truth, as well:
Jackie Robinson was the first black man to play in Major League Baseball. At the time, America had not made the progress we have today regarding racism. While breaking baseball’s color barrier, Robinson faced jeering crowds in some stadiums. While playing one day in his home stadium in Brooklyn, he committed an error. His own fans began to ridicule him. He stood at second base, humiliated, while the fans jeered. Then shortstop “Pee Wee” Reese came over and stood next to him. He put his arm around Jackie Robinson and faced the crowd. The fans grew quiet. Robinson later said that Reese’s arm around his shoulder saved his career.
Wow!!! Now THAT is staking oneself to a friend.
One way we can stake ourselves to others is through prayer. Mike and his wife were friends of mine, serving as missionaries in Jamaica in the 1980’s. While there, they experienced a life-and-death situation when their son contracted a critical illness. The young child, two or three years old, had regressed for several days to a point of near death. Mike decided he needed to “lean on” a few friends.
I knew something fairly serious must be happening when I was interrupted by an assistant while leading a prayer meeting, and told I had an emergency phone call from Jamaica. I excused myself and headed to my office.
“I’m sorry to interrupt your meeting, Dutch,” my friend Mike began, “but I desperately need your help.”
“What is it?” I asked.
“It’s my son, Toby. He is deathly ill with a raging fever. The doctors haven’t been able to find the cause. They’ve done all they know to do, but nothing is helping. They question whether or not he can survive another night in his condition.
“I have been praying and praying for him, but can’t seem to break through. The Lord has now revealed to me that his condition is being caused by a spirit of infirmity; He actually allowed me to see it as I was praying. I have not been able to break its influence over my son. But I feel the Lord has shown me that if some strong intercessors join me, we can break this attack.”
Mike and his wife, Pam, were strong believers, people of prayer, and walked in faith. They understood their authority in Christ, but they needed help. We all do at times.
I went back to the prayer meeting, and as a group we staked ourselves to the Andersons. I know Mike had called others, as well, and they, too, were no doubt praying. We interceded for this small child passionately until we sensed a breakthrough.
Mike called back later and said, “Almost immediately after I contacted you and several other friends to pray with me, the fever broke, and my son began rapidly improving. Within a few hours, he was completely well and released from the hospital.”
The Body of Christ had functioned as the Lord intended.
Mike then spoke the following words to me, which I’ve never forgotten: “Dutch, I asked the Lord why I had not been able to break through for my son without help. His only reply was: ‘Sometimes My covenant is released to you through others coming to your aid!’”
That is profoundly significant - Almighty God using us to administer the blessings of His covenant to others! And it’s what intercession is all about!
Friend, stake yourself to someone who needs your strength.
Pray with me:
Father, it brings You joy when Your family treats one another as family. Today, we choose love, forgiveness, and unity, embracing the magnificent truth that You release Your covenant benefits through us. The fact that we can be Your feet, hands, and loving arms is an amazing truth. Please remind us daily to stake ourselves to those who are experiencing difficulties.
We ask that our hearts be molded until we embody the truth that it is more blessed to give than receive. May we live to give, being like the “good Samaritan,” who went out of his way to love and serve another. Break us out of self-serving mindsets, making us more like Christ, who modeled true servanthood. In His name we pray, amen.
Our decree:
We declare that we will be the arms of the Lord, loving and supporting those who need His strength.
(Now, ask the Lord whom He would like you to bear up in prayer. Take a minute or two and pray for God’s strength and blessing to be released to them.)
Click on the link below to watch the full video.
Today’s post was adapted from my book, Intercessory Prayer, published by Baker Books.