Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. ~ Galatians 6:2 (NKJV)
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I was talking yesterday to a friend about burden-bearing, and how the body of Christ is meant to function in a way so that our needs are met through corporate ministering to each other. And I encouraged her to open up and share the needs in her life with some new believers she's met, so that they can participate in her life and know the joy of following the Lord by being servants.
And then she said, "But I think pride gets in the way...sometimes, I'm embarrassed to share..."
She's right, and we need to lay aside our pride when it comes to sharing with other believers the things that are going on in our lives. But I wonder . . . is it possible that the church itself has spawned this pitfall of pride? Has the stern criticism of the pious created an environment that tells others they need to look as good as, act as good as, talk as good as "them" in order to be accepted, and that to be any less than "them" is grounds for condemnation and judgment?
How can we bear one another's burdens if those burdens aren't revealed? Yet, how can a person in need reveal those burdens if they feel unworthy of acceptance in the midst of those burdens? It's almost a Catch-22...
My pastor likes to say, "God loves us who we are, where we are, how we are . . . but He loves us too much to leave us as we are." I know Christ's prayer is that His followers would model the unconditional love He has for humanity, so that they can fulfill His law . . . the law of love, bearing one another's burdens and building people up to know God, so that they can love Him and live for Him. That is my prayer, too.
Love,
Joelene
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