When to Carry Other's Burdens

Today, I'm finishing up reading Galatians for 30 times (stretched over 6 weeks) and I love to be reminded of the truth of Galatians 6:2,5:

"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ...for each one should carry his own load" (NIV).

At first, this seems contradictory. Am I supposed to help others or let them help themselves? But it turns out that "burdens" and "load" in the Greek are different words. "Burden" is the idea of an overwhelming burden that is impossible to carry. But "load" is the word used for a soldier carrying his pack. It is a load that is possible to carry by oneself.

The challenge as we consider helping others is to ask God whether they are trying to carry an overwhelming burden and thus need help. Or a load that God wants them to carry themselves.
Determining that will help us prevent our own burnout and rescuing others (thus becoming co-dependent).

Is this easy to determine at times? No, of course not. But we can seek the Lord and follow His direction even though it seems like we are being hard hearted at times (if God wants them to carry their own load).

When I teach parenting classes, I say, "your child needs to be needy so that they will need God." We often think we should meet all our children's needs and protect them from all pain. We can't do that, of course, and even if we could it wouldn't be wise. And this principle also refers to helping other people. Sometimes they must struggle in order to turn to God.

A long time ago when Mark was 14 and flying to Florida for a golf camp with Fellowship of Christian Athletes, I was concerned about him finding his connecting flight in Dallas. I just knew he would miss his flight and I'd get a call from him. As I anxiously waited by the phone about the time I knew he was in the Dallas airport, the Lord whispered in my heart, "You want him to call so that you'll be needed." It was as if the Lord was saying I wanted Mark to miss his flight and I adamantly rejected that. Maybe that wasn't fully true, but God was right. I wanted to be needed. There was a part of me that wanted him to fail so that I would be needed and I had to confess and repent from my sin of selfishness.

Mark didn't call until he arrived safely at the camp. When I asked him what happened in Dallas, he said, "my connecting flight was right across from the gate where I came in."

God had provided and taken care of him. It was good that Mark didn't need his mother. He took care of himself and I hope he asked God for help.

We can sinfully try to help people carry their load (which they should carry themselves) for a variety of reasons and one might be that we want to be included. We might want to be applauded, appreciated, or think we're their only source. But then we're preventing that person from seeking God for something He only should be helping them with. At times, a person is trying to carry an overwhelming burden and then we should help. God will be glorified. But God is also glorified when people carry their own loads.

Something to think about the next time someone asks for your help...

Prayer or "Good Thoughts"?

I've been praying for the safety of Captain Phillips who was kidnapped by the pirates off the coast of Somalia. And I've been praying for him and his family will come to know Jesus. As the sister-in-law of Captain Phillips was interviewed on television, she asked that everyone send good thoughts their way.

I was saddened. What good are good thoughts? Where do the good thoughts go? How do they change anything? How sad that "good thoughts" are all that family has to rely on. Good thoughts? Of course, they don't know Jesus so I'm not expecting they value prayer, but how does anyone really think kind and good thoughts thrown their way will stop pirates from killing someone?

On this Easter morning, I'm so profoundly grateful that prayer to a Risen Savior who has conquered death is powerful; it can protect as God wills; it is directed to an Almighty God who cares and loves and wants to work on our behalf.

"Oh, God, I pray for protection --that YOU! will protect Cpn Phillips and bring him home safely. Draw his family to You; bring alongside those who know you and can share the glorious knowledge of a Risen Savior. Give boldness to any family members who know You. And ultimately, open their eyes and turn them from the darkness to you and from the power of Satan to You. I pray in Jesus Name who rose from the dead and conquered death so that we might have life eternal. Amen."

The Offense of the Cross

In Galatians, Paul is dealing with his "children in the faith" being drawn away to believe that they must be circumcised and follow the Jewish ceremonial laws and regulations. He is trying to persuade them that only faith in Jesus through the cross is important and needed. As I came across Galatians 5:11-12, I had to stop and really think about the "offense of the cross." NASB calls it "the stumbling block of the cross" but "offense" is certainly seems stronger. Especially with yesterday, Good Friday, being the day we appreciated Jesus' death for us, it particularly seems important. Galatians 5: 11 says, "But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed."

The offense of the cross. The cross is offensive to man because it takes away self effort. It humbles us because it leaves us out. We can not earn anything with God of favor for salvation because it's dependent upon Jesus' sacrifice, not our being good. And we, as humans, love to take credit for what we've done. We don't like to be dependent upon others. We like to pull ourselves up on our own bootstraps So no wonder the cross is an offense and a stumbling block. We resist God's plan and don't understand grace. But thanks be to God, who overcomes this offense and stumbling block in our lives so that on Easter, tomorrow, we can celebrate grace through Jesus defeating death. We couldn't on our own. How wonderful that He did it all for us.

"Walk This Way"

If you're a fan of the movie, "Young Frankenstein," you'll recognize the phrase "Walk this way." The hunch backed servant tells Dr. Frankenstein as he arrives, "walk this way," as he is hunched over and walks down the steps with a limp. And the good doctor does--walks down the steps with a hunch and a limp. At one point, the scientist says, "I can help you with your hunch back." And the servant asks, "What hunchback?" (Forgive me if I'm not getting every word correct here but you get the idea).

I thought of that today as I studied Galatians 5:25. NASB says, "If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit." The NIV says it as, "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit."

As I meditated on that, I tried to think of what it really means, because to tell you the truth, I don't feel like I do it very well. For other words for "keep in step", I thought of:
walk hand in hand
measure step for step
walk side by side
keep going in the same direction
be constantly aware of the person beside me

Of course we've all walked beside someone and had to change our gait in order to keep in step and walk along with them. I guess that's what we need to do as Christians in order to keep in step with the Spirit. We have to be sensitive to the Spirit's pace, method, gait, even what may seem like a limp. Maybe it even seems from our perspective that we will be walking hunched over if we do what the Spirit is leading us to do. But if it's led by Him, we can have confidence it's the right thing.

I still don't think I'm getting all that it means. I'm encouraged that a few verses before that in Galatians 5:16, it says, "walk by the Spirit," and the verb tense of "walk" is "keep on walking." Well, I guess I'm going to keep on learning how to walk with the Spirit, keep in step with the Spirit and walk side by side with the Spirit. Thankfully, God isn't expecting perfection only growth. And awareness of when I'm getting ahead or behind or going off in a different direction from the Spirit. Keep on keeping on. And keep laughing when I watch "Young Frankenstein."

OK, Comforter Spirit, I'll walk "this way."

Audrey "Funny"

For those new to my blog, Larry, my husband, and I are caregivers for his 92-year-old mother, Audrey. She'll be 93 next month--May 7th. She has Lewy Body Dementia which comes with paranoia, delusions and hallucinations. As I mentioned in yesterday's blog, one of her delusions is that people attack her in the night. And that we are trying to kill her.

So here's an "Audrey "funny.""
One morning she was eating her bran cereal. We have to soak the cereal for at least 30 minutes in the milk before we serve it to make it soft. But this morning her delusion was "alive." She said, "There's rocks in my cereal. I know you're trying to kill me." She mumbled something and then said, "And I wish you'd do a better job of it."

Of course, she meant that I should make her cereal "better" without rocks. But the juxtaposition was funny. I stifled a laugh and wasn't upset--for once!