Chapter 15 is a direct continuation of chapter 14. Paul continues to discuss the need for those who are farther along in the journey with God to be walk with those who are at another place in the journey. The language choice made sense for Paul, however, it does damage in our world today. Paul uses the image of weaker and stronger, these terms are amazingly charged in our society. In a time and place where Darwin has had such an influence the idea of being weaker brings with it inferiority and possible extinction, not a situation to be in ministry and discipleship.
Essentially mentoring and discipling another others is what Paul is talking about. Coming along side those who are not at the same place as you in their journey and engaging them on the journey. In the promise to Abraham the people of God, Israel, were told they would be blessed. This blessing was not for their own consumption, rather it was so they could be a blessing to others. The promise is the same for you and I today. We are blessed by God in ways we cannot even see. Even the blessings we can see are not intended for our sole consumption, our they might consume our soul.
It is not a matter of one person being a better follower than another, or even on person being smarter in the ways of God than another. The point is we are all on the journey together. There are people at different places of the journey. Some have not yet traveled some of the areas we have, and others have long ago covered the ground we are on. The key is not to mark the checklist of places we have been and eye the places we will be. Rather it is to join together will all the people on the journey and help all of us to move to the next place along the path. We are not on the journey for our own sake, but for the entire body of followers.
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