A Deeper Look at the 10 Hills:
Being Spiritual Contributors
October 2014
Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.
-- Galatians 6:2
Reflect
We know it sounds nice and Christianly to help other people, but this verse seems to turn the tables a little bit. Instead of being just a good idea, this verse tells us we are disobedient if we don’t share each other’s burdens.
Disobedience is not a word we throw around lightly, especially when talking about adults. We might say our kids are being disobedient, but rarely would we say our colleague (or even worse our spouse) is disobedient. Yet here the Apostle Paul tells us we are just that if we don’t share each other’s burdens.
But what exactly does it mean to share a burden? How can we even tell when a burden exists?
Rewind
Physical burdens are not hard to imagine at all. Picture a man walking down the street with a large duffle bag on his back. He is grasping at railing, the walls, anything nearby, because it’s too heavy for him. But what about emotional burdens, social burdens, or even burdens due to time constraints?
If we are honest with ourselves, we are surrounded by people struggling under the weight of their own burdens. And more often than not, we are aware of these burdens…but choose to walk away.
So we must start with a heart of repentance, where we acknowledge our selfishness and choose to invest in the lives of others. This is a simple prayer, something like this:
Lord, forgive me for being all about me.
Teach me to see the hurts of others, to care enough to help them.
Give me wisdom and creativity to serve those in my life who need help, to pick up their burdens and share their load.
Amen.
React
Now that we’ve moved forward with a clean heart, it’s time to figure out how to share in the burdens of others. We can do this on a personal level, as an outreach at our jobs, at a church level, or within our neighborhoods. The ideas are endless, but here are three to get us started.
1) Get out in the community.
Serve at the Dysart Community Center. They are looking for tutors to support children and adults looking to get their GED. The burden of feeling “less-than” in educational setting can be debilitating, and being the bridge to academic success is a huge reliever of stress and anxiety.
2) Find a place to serve at Reveal.
There is no better place to lift a burden than at church. So many opportunities are waiting for just the right person to fill them. Maybe it’s greeting folks as they come in on Sunday mornings, or serving in the kids’ ministry. Perhaps you have a gift with words, and want to help write these devotionals. No matter where you choose to serve, you will be lifting the burdens of your fellow Revealers.
3) Do something meaningful for your neighbors, with no strings attached.
Offer to wash their truck while you wash yours. Blow the leaves out of their yard too, instead of only yours. Bring some dessert over, just because. These simple acts of kindness will open doors and build trust. In time, strangers will become friends, and you will learn how to share their burdens. Because you will know their hearts and lives.
-- Galatians 6:2
Reflect
We know it sounds nice and Christianly to help other people, but this verse seems to turn the tables a little bit. Instead of being just a good idea, this verse tells us we are disobedient if we don’t share each other’s burdens.
Disobedience is not a word we throw around lightly, especially when talking about adults. We might say our kids are being disobedient, but rarely would we say our colleague (or even worse our spouse) is disobedient. Yet here the Apostle Paul tells us we are just that if we don’t share each other’s burdens.
But what exactly does it mean to share a burden? How can we even tell when a burden exists?
Rewind
Physical burdens are not hard to imagine at all. Picture a man walking down the street with a large duffle bag on his back. He is grasping at railing, the walls, anything nearby, because it’s too heavy for him. But what about emotional burdens, social burdens, or even burdens due to time constraints?
If we are honest with ourselves, we are surrounded by people struggling under the weight of their own burdens. And more often than not, we are aware of these burdens…but choose to walk away.
So we must start with a heart of repentance, where we acknowledge our selfishness and choose to invest in the lives of others. This is a simple prayer, something like this:
Lord, forgive me for being all about me.
Teach me to see the hurts of others, to care enough to help them.
Give me wisdom and creativity to serve those in my life who need help, to pick up their burdens and share their load.
Amen.
React
Now that we’ve moved forward with a clean heart, it’s time to figure out how to share in the burdens of others. We can do this on a personal level, as an outreach at our jobs, at a church level, or within our neighborhoods. The ideas are endless, but here are three to get us started.
1) Get out in the community.
Serve at the Dysart Community Center. They are looking for tutors to support children and adults looking to get their GED. The burden of feeling “less-than” in educational setting can be debilitating, and being the bridge to academic success is a huge reliever of stress and anxiety.
2) Find a place to serve at Reveal.
There is no better place to lift a burden than at church. So many opportunities are waiting for just the right person to fill them. Maybe it’s greeting folks as they come in on Sunday mornings, or serving in the kids’ ministry. Perhaps you have a gift with words, and want to help write these devotionals. No matter where you choose to serve, you will be lifting the burdens of your fellow Revealers.
3) Do something meaningful for your neighbors, with no strings attached.
Offer to wash their truck while you wash yours. Blow the leaves out of their yard too, instead of only yours. Bring some dessert over, just because. These simple acts of kindness will open doors and build trust. In time, strangers will become friends, and you will learn how to share their burdens. Because you will know their hearts and lives.
