Support the Weak

As Paul traveled back to Jerusalem at the end of his third missionary journey, he stopped in Miletus. This was a port city on the Mediterranean Sea about 36 miles south of Ephesus. From there he sent to the elders of the church in Ephesus, and they came down to see him. He had visited them at the end of his second mission and then spent two additional years among them during this third mission, and he wanted to see these Saints one more time. He movingly recounted how he had sought to teach them the gospel: “I have been with you at all seasons, Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations… And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house, Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” He had labored diligently during his time among them to preach Jesus Christ to this people and help them live according to His word. He told how much he had suffered but movingly said, “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.” He sorrowed that to these people whom he had “gone preaching the kingdom of God” he would see their faces no more. But he wanted them to know this: “Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.” He warned them of those who would come teaching false doctrines and reminded them, “Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace.” After recounting all that he had done to try to preach them the gospel of Jesus Christ, he gave this important invitation: “I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:18-35). I think the words are just as relevant for us as they were for the Ephesians. We should labor to “support the weak” in the same way that Paul did: by testifying of the gospel of Jesus Christ to them.

                Paul’s invitation reminds us of what the Savior said in an 1832 revelation: “Wherefore, be faithful; stand in the office which I have appointed unto you; succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees” (Doctrine and Covenants 81:5). The two previous verses give us more context for this invitation. The Lord was speaking to Frederick G. Williams and gave him this invitation: “[I will bless thee] inasmuch as thou art faithful in counsel, in the office which I have appointed unto you, in prayer always, vocally and in thy heart, in public and in private, also in thy ministry in proclaiming the gospel in the land of the living, and among thy brethren.” So Brother Williams was to proclaim the gospel which was, according to the Lord, the most valuable thing he could do: “And in doing these things thou wilt do the greatest good unto thy fellow beings, and wilt promote the glory of him who is your Lord.” It was then that the Lord invited him to succor the weak. Surely a part of succoring the weak is providing physical help to those in need, offering food and clothing and shelter to those who are suffering. But in this context the Lord was speaking specifically about preaching the gospel—that is the most important way that we succor the weak. We lift up hands that are hanging down and we strengthen the feeble knees as we teach them the gospel of Jesus Christ and help them to develop faith in Him. That is exactly what Paul did among the Ephesians and everywhere else that he served his missions, and by so laboring we too ought to “support the weak” with our testimonies of Jesus Christ.