08/16/2025
I’ve seen people facing real hardship in Zambia…and I’ve seen others reach out to help. That simple act of being seen and supported is what resonates with me the most about Christianity.
This is not to downplay any of the other powerful messages in Christianity. Faith in God, the wild mystery of the universe, believing in peace and bridge building, honouring family, nurturing loving relationships, and caring for the earth…the Bible is filled with countless truths that are powerful, relevant, and life-giving.
But for me personally, the idea of giving a voice to the voiceless, liberating the oppressed, and lifting up the downtrodden has always struck the deepest chord.
To me, this is one of the most powerful messages found in the Bible.
How did I arrive at this idea? Let’s unpack that a bit.
Roots of my Faith
I was born in Canada, but spent many of my formative years in Zambia. That’s where I was exposed to Christianity. But that’s also where I was exposed to the other side of the world.
My parents worked for an NGO, and I frequently saw kids living with far less than I had, and families struggling to make ends meet.
I wanted to do something about this, and my father always told me that the work he was doing in Zambia was making a difference. He was helping farmers get access to tools and seeds, helping people help themselves.
And he told me that the work he was doing was an act of faith. It was all motivated by his Christian faith.
This is when I first heard of the idea of Christ lifting up the downtrodden…not as an abstract principle, but as something lived out in front of me. My father was trying to model that same behaviour in his own life.
This impacted me in a huge way, and I wanted to follow my father’s example: to be more like him, and in turn, to be more Christ-like.
But sometimes we are helpers, and other times we need to be helped. And although a seed had been planted within me, I didn’t really know how to make it grow and flourish.
I still had hard lessons to learn along the way.
When I Was Lifted
Although I had a desire to live like my dad, I didn’t have a clear road map. Because I am not my father. I’m my own person. Flawed. Broken. Imperfect.
So even though I wanted to follow in my father’s footsteps, I found myself encountering more struggles than successes in life, needing a helping hand more often than I could offer one.
I often look to others for help. To be lifted up.
A few years ago, I was struggling with addiction and sobriety, and found myself trapped in a prison of my own making.
I was in a negative spiral, circling down the drain of substance and self-pity. I needed help.
And my wife, God bless her soul, was there for me.
She never judged me. She helped me find a counsellor, and stayed by my side as I dealt with my own inner turmoil, and took one heavy step after another out of my pit of torment.
She saw my need. She saw my pain. She saw me. And she offered a helping hand, pulling me from the depths.
And something about being truly seen, heard, and recognized struck a deep chord within me.
Because I was accepted. Just as I was. As a flawed, broken human being.
In my life, whenever someone has offered a helping hand, and lifted me up, I’ve always felt so empowered. And I’ve felt a responsibility to do that person right. To show that they were not mistaken when they believed in me.
And that ignites a flame within me. A strength, a hope, and a desire to lift others up. To see them. To accept them. To walk with them, every step of the way.
Passing on the Gift
The truth is, we are all broken. We all fall short. We are all in need of a helping hand from time to time.
And we have all encountered others who need to be lifted up as well.
When we are lifted, it gives us the gift of strength and hope. And when we lift up others, it passes that gift on.
This world is not an equal place. There are the haves, and there are the have-nots.
But Christ's message isn’t just for me. And it isn’t just for them. It is for all of us.
We all fall. We all rise. Sometimes we need help. Sometimes we give it. In the end, we’re all in this together.
My hope for you is that you can be lifted up by others in your life, and that you, in turn, lift those around you.
