Have you ever found yourself in a position where you really just need some help? You know that you can’t face whatever predicament is before you on your own.

If you are like me, while you understand your need for help you are reluctant to seek the help you need. Whether it’s pride, ego, shame or embarrassment, something stands in the way and prevents us from asking for the help we need.

We live in a culture that has convinced us that we don’t need one another, that we should be able to support ourselves, that we shouldn’t have to seek assistance because we should be able to do whatever it is on our own. Our individualistic society has made it shameful to seek help. So, we try to hide our needs behind a false image. We appear to have it all together, but we’re falling apart behind the scenes.

When others ask how we are doing, we say, “Okay. I’m fine.”

When others ask if we need help, we say, “No, I’m good. I’ve got it under control.”

As a result of failing to seek the assistance we need, we often create a bigger mess and a greater need for assistance. Let’s be honest, there are times when we wait so long to ask for help that when help arrives it is too late.

So, we need to create a beloved community where it’s okay to admit our need…it’s okay to seek help…it’s okay to admit that we don’t have it all together…it’s okay to say, “I’m a mess!”

I’ve seen a t-shirt and coffee mug promoted that simply states, “It’s okay to have Jesus and a therapist too.” This is a positive step forward in normalizing seeking help!

Life brings us messes. Life brings us great joy and great challenges. Following Jesus doesn’t free us from the mess. In fact, Jesus challenges us to enter the mess…and not only our mess, but the messes of those around us.

When Jesus calls us to “shoulder our crosses and follow,” we should remember that the cross was source of pain and anguish. Jesus never promised that once we chose to follow that everything in life will be peachy keen.

Over the next two Sundays at First Wayne Street, we are going to be wrapping up our Messy Church series. We’ll be looking at two of my favorite stories – one revolving the faithfulness of friends helping in a time of need; the other tells the story of the birth of the Christian church.

This week, we will look at Matthew 2:1-12. If you grew up in the church or attended Vacation Bible School as a child, this story may be familiar. The story takes place at a time when Jesus’ popularity was increasing. Because of his teaching and miracles, people wanted to be near him. Something about Jesus was compelling enough that folks wanted to get as close as possible.

So, Jesus is in a house and there are four people who are hoping to get their friend in need of healing close to Jesus. On Sunday, we will explore how these four friends do whatever it takes to provide meaningful help for their friend in need. They go above and beyond to help their friend gain access to Jesus. They create a mess in order provide for a friend.

We need to remember that following Jesus is rarely neat and tidy.

Join us this Sunday as we talk about the messiness of an undaunted faith!