Digging Deeper: Getting Answers from the Right Person
39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him,[a] saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Luke 23:39-43 (NLT)
GETTING ANSWERS FROM THE RIGHT PERSON
Recently, my wife had a scary encounter at work. She was setting up a display at a retail store when one of the metal crossing bars on the display came loose and fell on her arm. She’s far tougher than me and despises any kind of pity or attention, so she initially tried to push through the mishap.
After a few minutes—and some immediate swelling—it became clear that pressing on wasn’t an option. She called me, and I left to go with her to urgent care. Since this was a workplace incident, there’s a specific protocol for treatment, including which doctor to visit and how to appropriately seek care.
My poor, injured wife was mistakenly given two incorrect addresses for care and was turned away both times! A frustrating experience, to say the least. After one more phone call, we were finally connected with someone who helped update us on the correct care options. Eventually, we found the right person who could help, and thankfully, what was initially feared to be a fracture turned out to be just a contusion.
It’s important to find the right person to ask for help. As we studied Luke 23 this week and focused on the thief on the cross, we see that the penitent thief asked for help from the right person. After acknowledging his guilt, he asked Jesus to remember him in His kingdom.
Sometimes, we can find the answers to life’s questions right in front of us. The nature of our daily problems may be solvable with our own intellect and resources. But this can breed an unhealthy sense of self-sufficiency that will falter when the problem grows beyond our ability to manage. Some problems are simply too big for us to solve.
So what do you do when you face life’s biggest problems? It is a universal truth that we will have trouble in this world (John 16:33), so are you trusting in the One who overcame the world to solve them?
The thief on the cross was saved—in part because he asked the right person for help. Jesus, battered and bloodied on the cross next to him, assured him that his faith had brought him to paradise.
Jesus says He is the way, the truth, and the life, and that no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). We will always face problems bigger than ourselves, questions we can’t answer, and situations that don’t make sense. In those moments, it’s crucial that we seek help from the right person.
Lee Wilson and his wife, Deanna, have been NorthStar Church members since 2010. They are parents to Everett, Henry and Roselyn. Lee is passionate about sports (Go Braves, Go Dawgs) and has the pleasure to serve on the worship team as a bassist.