Helpers

1 Chronicles 12:1

Now these are they that came to David to Ziklag, while he yet kept himself close because of Saul the son of Kish: and they were among the mighty men, helpers of the war.

What an important group of people who came to David in a low time of his life. The Scriptures called them, helpers of the war. In this chapter, much is made of the people who helped David in his lowest times of life. In verse 17, there came some men from Benjamin to help David in his battle. In verse 18, Amasai encouraged David by saying, for thy God helpeth thee. In verse 21, it says about some men from Manasseh, and they helped David. In verse 22 it says, For at that time day by day there came to David to help him, until it was a great host, like the host of God. These people helped David, not when he was popular, but when he was unpopular.

Here is the key I want you to see. In verse 38 it says, All these men of war, that could keep rank, came with a perfect heart to Hebron, to make David king over all Israel… In verse 40 it says, for there was joy in Israel. Interestingly, the whole nation enjoyed David being king, but no one had as much joy as those who helped David from the beginning. Though the whole nation enjoyed the fruit of David being king, there was nothing like those men who came to him when he was nobody and helped him by faith because they believed God would do something great through his life. It was those helpers in the darkest days who experienced the greatest joy when David became king of Israel.

One of the lacks of our present day is people who help someone when everyone is against them. It is easy to stand with people when they're at the top of the mountain, but give me the person who stands with them in the valley, and I will show you who is the true friend. I have watched a generation that cheers people at the top, but throws stones at them at the bottom; what a great shame! You will never know the joy that comes from helping people in their low days of life if you don't help them in their low days. It is helping people in their lowest days that gives you the greatest joy when they rise to the top. Let me illustrate.

There is nothing like the group of people who started with me at Maranatha Baptist Church; some have moved here, but a handful have stuck with me from the very beginning. Oh, our church has grown to tremendous size, and all have joy as we see God performing “the Miracle of Maranatha,” but it is those who have been with me from the beginning or have moved here believing God was going to do something who have the greatest joy.

There is also nothing like the joy of being with someone at the top when God has blessed their life and knowing that you were with them and helped them in their lowest times. Maybe they fell in sin, or life turned against someone, but you were there to help them in their low times; it is this crowd who experiences the greatest joy when God blesses them tremendously.

My friend, be a helper to people in their lowest times, or to a pastor when he is small. There is something about standing with people in the low times that gives great joy when God promotes them to the top. You will never know this joy unless you become a helper of people. Forget what the crowd says, and be that small crowd that is the helper of people when they are the outcasts or unknown, and you will know the great joy that comes from being with them from the bottom to the top.