Rescue Me!

Hot-tempered people must pay the penalty.
If you rescue them once, you will have to do it again.

(Proverbs 19:19, NLT)

Throw out a lifeline! Sometimes, that is what we do. We think we are helping someone by rescuing them from their problems, but in essence, we may only be enabling them or making it worse.

We often hear the term "rescue" in terms of recovery. A loved one is caught up in alcohol or drug addiction. We want to intervene, or rescue---to save them from further harm. The following excerpt is from the Life Recovery Bible. Read what it has to say about rescuing:

"If we rescue friends from their problems once, we will probably rescue them again and again. They will become used to being rescued and will live irresponsibly without suffering the consequences of their behavior. We may even become codependent, addicted to the pattern of avoiding our own needs and gaining a sense of importance by helping others in their need. This harms us and the people who need our help. Though it is painful to do, we must let others feel the effects of their choices. The pain of those experiences may bring them to admit their problems and seek help."

There is nothing wrong with helping a person out in their time of need. But, if it becomes a habit, re-evaluate what is really going on. Don't allow yourself to become part of the problem instead of the solution. The only one who can truly save someone from themselves is Jesus Christ.