Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. – Galatians 6:2

Burden:  A load, particularly a heavy one

I have never really given this verse much thought.  However, I have seen two pictures of this verse this past week and I don’t think I’ll ever forget it.  One is from my own experience and is kind of weak.  The other is from my wife’s experience and is just awesome.

My friend and I both drive busses and pretty much leave at the same time every morning.  Lately, it has been pretty stinking cold in the mornings.  Our goal all year has been to simply pray together each morning before we officially start our day . . . you know, that “two or more” thing.  In the process, if he gets there first, he fires up both busses.  Likewise, if I get there, I fire them up.  We never actually said, “Whoever gets here first, crank both busses.”  It occurred to me yesterday as I stepped onto the warm bus and endured only about 30 steps of cold that we have (in a sense) carried one another’s burden.  We’ve only “suffered” (and I use that term very loosely) half as much as we would have had we just taken care of our own busses.  Semi-lame example . . . I know.

My wife on the other hand has shown me a perfect picture of it.  When someone I love gets sick, I offer up frequent prayers to God, but I don’t necessarily feel like I’m carrying part of the load.  When her friend and family member was sick and worried, I watched my wife become sick and worried while remaining in constant prayer.  I don’t think I’ve ever actually seen this before.  I also watched with my own eyes the worry of the sick person decrease as my wife picked up part of the load . . . a perfect fulfillment of Galatians 6:2.

Can you remember what it was like to be completely lost and on your way to hell?  The first time that I heard the gospel and knew that I was separated from God . . . man did I worry, and man was I scared.  As I was led in the prayer to receive Christ, I could just feel that worry melt away.  I no longer carried it all.  Jesus carried it for me.

I just read my Action Bible and saw Jesus carrying the cross.  I saw Him literally allow them to nail Him to it.  He put up no fight.  He could have, but He didn’t.  “He saved others; himself he cannot save” they shouted.

Turns out, He was still saving others.

He was saving me.

Lord, I will spend the rest of my life thanking You.  Help me to honor You for the rest of my days.  Thank You for showing me a picture of what it is like to bear one another’s burdens.  Help us Christians to get this right.  If the lost world could see the church really love one another . . . You would be irresistible.  Amen