The spiritual journey isn’t easy for any of us, and can be especially difficult when you’re doing it alone. When you see others struggling or straying, it’s charitable to reach out with assistance, prayer, and friendship. Maybe you show them by the example of your life what it means to be a follower of Christ and to live virtuously.
Walking with sinners is exactly what the Lord did during his time on earth. Not shying away from the messy parts of life and the really difficult situations, he reached out to those most in need. Even when others mocked and questioned him, he brought teaching, healing, and mercy to sinners.
You, too, can be a companion and guide for those you encounter in life. When you live an authentic, joyful, and virtuous life, others will naturally be drawn to that light. You can be a place of encouragement, hope, and answers to those seeking more.
Sometimes this can be a find line to tread. “We want to accompany people, we want to journey with people. But we want to sort of be wise enough not to go down a path where we’re going to support maybe ungodliness,” said Allan Wright, Catholic professor and author, in a recent interview with Morning Air®.
And it’s important to also take a close look at your own life. What are the ways that you can walk closer to Christ and His Church? What friendships or habits do you have that bring you further away from God? While it’s wonderful to help others, you can’t do so at the detriment of our own spiritual life. If walking with someone who is away from the Faith pulls you away too, maybe it’s time to take a step back.
“We certainly should be there to help them, at times, but if our own soul, if our own spirit is just being constantly dragged down, I don’t think—I’ve read the Bible—I don’t think it’s a sin to unfriend somebody on social media or to block somebody or to get off these pages. Because it’s just going to continue to tempt us or to tear us down,” explained Wright.
Turning to prayer and strengthening your own faith is an important step in bringing others to Christ. Discern what God is asking of you and how you might be called to walk with sinners—whether in your own family or a stranger at the grocery store—and help them to know and experience the loving mercy of God.
Tune in to Morning Air® weekdays at 5-8am CT only on Relevant Radio®.
