Jump Start # 682

Galatians 6:2 “Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.”

Our passage today is among the many “one another” passages in the N.T. Paul is connecting the brethren together in ways that are meaningful and helpful.

• Restore one who is caught in a trespass (1)
• The one taught must share with the one who teaches (6)
• Do good to all people, especially those of the household of faith (10)

Burden bearers—what’s what we need to be among each other. Burdens are often and they come in many forms. Some have family burdens—the strains of raising children, the pressure of aging parents, the difficulties with prodigals. For others, it’s financial burdens—the loss of a job and the rising debt from health bills. For others, it is health burdens—failing health, the long days of not feeling well, the enormous costs of medical care. For some, it’s emotional burdens—worry, fear, loneliness, second guessing what you’ve done, regrets. The greatest of all is spiritual burdens—the differences of faith within family and friends, persecution, the guilt and shame of disappointing God, the difficulty in forgiving others and the extreme difficulty in forgiving self.

Burdens are very real. Those who do not have them currently, often have a hard time understanding why others do and they fail to grasp that they will go through the valley themselves.

Paul’s words are, “Bear one another’s burdens.” This statement leaves us with the idea of helping a person carry a heavy box. He is straining and stumbling. He’s about to go down. Along we come, and we help carry. We lift his load. We do not carry it all ourselves, lest we just trade places, and we then begin to strain and stumble. But together, two people, the load is manageable and easier to carry.

This concept brings a few thoughts to mind:

• We must be willing to share our lives and allow others to help. Some don’t do this. They would rather crumble under the heavy weight of what they are doing than ask for help. This independent, ‘I don’t need any help’ may work well in the movies, it doesn’t in life. This is not a sign of weakness nor the lack of faith. There are some things that are heavier than we are able to carry. Why hurt ourselves because of our pride. Ask for help. Seek others. Listen. Be willing to open up to others.

• We must be willing to be there for others. Burden bearing involves time and effort. It can be messy, because some of our lives are messy. Some will do this as long as it’s quick and easy, but most burdens are not this way. Some things have become burdens because of the way folks have handled them. They’ve made a mountain out of a mole hill and now there is a mountain to deal with. Our connections in the church are essential. People need to be able to count upon you. Often when people need you is not a convenient time. It will draw you away from the game on TV. It may require a Saturday, when you wanted to do things around the house. It may involve spending some money. It may require taking someone to the doctor. Lest we be careful, in helping others, they become our burden and they feel bad because we are doing things for them. The spirit of compassion is so important.

• Burdens can be carried by others, but our burdens must be dealt with by us. Others can be there. They can offer help. They can make the load lighter. They can offer all kinds of support. But they cannot take the burden away. We must give it to the Lord and we must carry our burden. I think some have the idea that when others offer help, that they will just take the burden and transfer it to them. Not so. Parenting, financial, health, emotional and even spiritual issues that belong to us remain ours. We must work on them and find Biblical answers to them. We cannot walk away from our problems. It’s not the responsibility of others to solve our problems. Some do not get this.

One final thought, it’s hard to help someone else carry their burden when we are maxed out carry our own. Doing too much…having too many commitments…the inability to say, ‘No,’ can weigh us down so much that we cannot be there for others. We all have burdens, yet some how the apostle wants us to help others bear their.

This is one of the benefits of fellowship and church. We are not alone. The journey with others has powerful benefits. It’s amazing to see other Christians helping each other.

How about you? Can others count upon you? Are you there for them? Give these words some thought.

Today, we are one day closer to Heaven.

Roger