This Jesus is the stone rejected by you builders, which has become the cornerstone. There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people, and we must be saved by it.     Acts 4:11-12 HCSB

Only Jesus can save us. We can be saved when we surrender our lives to Him, put our faith in Him and obey Him. It is our duty to bring the gospel to others, but we must remember only Jesus can save them and they must be willing to surrender to Him.

I have worked in Criminal Justice and in Counseling. Many people start fresh out of college with a “Save the world” mentality. Sadly, as reality sets in they can become disappointed and frustrated.

In all honesty, the only people I saw being successful at completing their probation or parole or getting their lives straight after a traumatizing event were those who surrendered to Christ. And as the old saying goes, “We can lead the horse to water, but we can’t make it drink.”

Jesus can save us because He Himself went through temptation. He understands our suffering and can help us (Hebrews 2:18). And even if we have undergone suffering it doesn’t mean we can save someone else. We may be able to give them moral support. We can have empathy for them. And certainly, we should do all we can to lead them to the Lord, but we must be careful not to fall into their sin. I have seen people try to help friends and loved ones and fall into the same sin they were trying to help their loved one overcome.

Galatians 6:1 warns us of this very thing. It says, “Brothers, if someone is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual should restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so you also won’t be tempted.”

Jesus said in Matthew 7:14, “How narrow is the gate and difficult is the road that leads to life and few find it.” We must be careful when we reach out to help others. We must remember that a drowning man can’t save others unless he first saves himself. Be sure that you are in a solid relationship with your Lord and Savior. Pray for wisdom and discernment. The devil will use any weakness to draw you into sin. Pray that the person you are trying to help will receive it well. And most importantly, know when to walk away.

In Matthew 7:6, Jesus said, “Do not toss what is holy to dogs or toss your pearls before pigs, or they will trample them with their feet, turn, and tear you to pieces.” Salvation is a precious gift. Not everyone is willing to receive it. Jesus is trying to tell us here to be discerning and know when it’s time to walk away.

When He first sent His disciples out to spread the gospel, he warned them that if anyone did not welcome them or was not willing to listen to what they had to say to shake the dust off their feet when they left that house or town.

Sometimes the best we can do is plant a seed and hope that it will grow. We may have to trust God to send someone else to water it and cause it to grow. As Christians, we are to share the gospel, but we must also understand that everyone we attempt to share it with may not be ready or willing to receive it.

We may be trying desperately to save a family member or a close friend, but we must remember all we can do is lead them to the Lord. We may even be trying to save a child or our marriage, but again all we can do is lead them to the Lord. And sadly, if they reject the Lord and continue in their evil ways, we may have to give it over to Jesus and simply walk away.

It’s sad to watch someone try to save another person and end up falling into the same sin, be sure that doesn’t happen to you.

Have a great day!