If you asked a room full of churchgoers to find the Bible verse that says, “God helps those who help themselves,” there’s a decent chance someone would start searching for it.
The problem, of course, is that it isn’t there.
The saying has been around for centuries in one form or another, often traced back to Aesop. But it became part of our American lexicon when written in Poor Richard’s Almanack by Benjamin Franklin. It’s been around so long, has become so familiar, and sounds so practical—that many assume it must have come from Scripture.
The Bible does, especially in Proverbs, value hard work and has plenty to say about laziness. But those are written as practical life lessons, the Bible’s general good advice for getting ahead. And the Apostle Paul also reminds us to work for the kingdom of God, which is part of our mission as followers of Christ.
But this misquote makes a claim that goes to the very nature and character of God … and is contrary to what the Bible teaches about God. The heartbeat of Scripture sounds quite different.
The psalmist declares, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). Notice the direction of the help. God doesn’t wait at the finish line for us to solve our own problems before stepping in. God meets us in our weakness, our fear, our confusion, and our need.
Again and again, God comes alongside … and most importantly, lifts up … those who cannot help themselves: slaves in Egypt, exiles in Babylon, frightened disciples in a storm, and sinners unable to save themselves.
All of the gospel itself rests on this truth. If we could save ourselves, there would’ve been no need for grace and no need for Jesus. If I have to wait for God to help me until I have already helped myself, what is the point of my faith? My faith is a reminder that God is with me and strengthens me when I can’t help myself and when I’m at the end of my proverbial rope.
However, as the Bible also reminds us, it isn’t only God who helps us when we need it. The God who helps us also calls us to help one another. We’re told to carry each other’s burdens, encourage one another, care for those in need, and bear with one another in love. Help also comes through the hands and voices of God’s people.
Sure, the saying is popular. It appeals to our love of independence. We admire self-sufficiency and determination. We like to believe that needing help is weakness.
The Bible offers a more honest vision. We aren’t independent. We’re codependent – on God and others. We aren’t self-sufficient. We need God and others in our lives. And needing help isn’t weakness. It’s actually strength.
God helps those who call upon him. All those … no exceptions. That may not fit as neatly on a coffee mug, but it sounds much more like the God who created us, loves us, and wants to spend eternity with us.
Prayer: Lord, you are my refuge and strength, my help in times of trouble. Remind me to receive your help with humility and to offer help to others with compassion. Make me a person who carries burdens, encourages the weary, and points others toward you. Amen.
