Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Galatians 6:2
On a hot summer afternoon, I walked outside of my house to find my husband busily scraping away at a brick. As I got closer, I could see a small hole in the mortar that he had cleaned out and was inserting a plastic device into the slot. Curious, I asked what he was doing. Did you know that brick veneer houses have something called weepholes?
Well, about 20 years ago, I didn’t know anything about them. I learned that day how important it is to keep them cleaned out and maintained. That was the day I noticed all the little things my husband does to maintain our home and vehicles.
He remembers countless tasks, big and small, ensuring our possessions are in proper working order. So many demands that I never consider but that stay at the forefront of his mind, and he never forgets about a single one.
Men like my husband do the right thing when no one else is even watching.
No one watches but God, and that matters to Him.
When I consider all of the other burdens that are his to care for, it just seems so overwhelming. He never even complains. This is part of the burden that a man is called to bear for his family. But not every husband and father is called to this task. Only men are.
This is one example of bearing another’s burden. For believers, this call does not just apply to the commitment made between a husband and wife. This command is a charge to every person who gives their heart to Christ.
But don’t unbelievers love and bear burdens for their families, too?
Certainly. But they are not compelled by God’s moral law. They are not convicted by the Spirit of godly love in their hearts. It’s just different, isn’t it? They can never fulfill the law of Christ. They don’t understand it.
Our key verse is short and to the point. To bear one another’s burdens is to fulfill the law of Christ.
What is the law of Christ?
Jesus answered, “The greatest is: ‘Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. The second is like this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.
Mark 12:29-31
Do you see what makes it possible for true believers to offer sacrificial love and bear each other’s burdens?
- They must first recognize that the God is Lord of their life by faith.
- They must love the Lord with all of their heart, soul, mind and strength.
- That is what empowers believers to sacrificially love their neighbor as themselves.
Jesus reminds believers that His burdens are not too heavy for us to bear. (Matthew 11:28-30)
Of course, Jesus was talking about the spiritual burdens of obedience and faith. This command to the body of believers requires us to help one another with our daily burdens, whether they are spiritual or practical.
When we bear one another’s load, it expresses the love of Christ and glorifies God.
Now this also applies to extending love to difficult people who are professing believers. We cannot judge or equivocate about that.
Loving difficult people can be challenging, and loving fellow believers with Christ-like love can be burdensome. But, with God’s power and the Holy Spirit’s guidance, we can want to want to do that.
You see, it all comes back to God’s love for us. What has Jesus borne for you and me? He has borne every burden. He has borne the heaviest burden. It should be our pleasure (though not always easy) to bear any burden that He gives us to bear, shouldn’t it?
So, the burdens God has given us to bear is not more than we can bear. We should each diligently pursue any burden, not to secure favor with God, but to honor Him and obey.
What burden has God required of you? Are you giving your best effort no matter how much strength, courage, fortitude or stamina it may require? Do you trust God to supply the resources that you need to accomplish every single task? He will.
For this is loving God, that we keep his commandments. His commandments are not grievous.
1 John 5:3
Share the Gospel in your world!
Isaiah 52:7
Use by permission only.
World English Bible (WEB)
by Public Domain. The name “World English Bible” is trademarked.
