DAILY STIR 8-4-13 ”STRENGTH FOR SERVICE NOT STATUS” Galatians 6:2 says, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:5 says, “For each one shall bear his own load. When you first hear these verses it sounds like a contradiction. But if we study these verses closely we can see they are not. If we look back at Galatians 6:1 it says, “If a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one.” One definition of overtaken is to come upon unexpectedly; take by surprise. Have you ever been hit with something unexpectedly and you didn’t know what to do. That will burden you down. Everyone must carry his own load, but when you get blindsided with something that is too much to bear, your normal load becomes a burden. Romans 15:1 says, “We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.” The Message Bible says, “Those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us. Strength is for service, not status. Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, "How can I help?" The body of Christ (the Church) is to function together with every part doing its job just like the parts of the physical body work together. If you stub your toe, you might put more weight (or load) on the other foot or walk on the heel of your foot more to take some of the load off the front of your foot. In the physical body if you were a knee, you do the job of a knee carrying your own load. But when the back goes out and the body can’t bend over that’s where the knee takes on the burden of the back that can’t bend over so the knees does a lot more bending. The knee is bending more because he loves the back, and the back is part of the body. Ephesians 4:16 says, “From whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.” I like the last part of that verse, for the building up of itself in love. That love is what Paul was talking about in Galatians 6:2. If you bear one another’s burdens, you fulfill the law of Christ. The law of Christ is the law of love, as John 13:34 says, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” So carry your own load, but keep your spiritual eyes and ears open so you can be quick to respond when the Head (Jesus Christ) directs you to bear another’s burden as a functioning member of the body of Christ. Bearing burdens, Chris
Posted on: Sun, 04 Aug 2013 01:42:20 +0000
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