Bear one another’s burden, each should bear his own load

These two admonitions, that come together in close proximity in Galatians 6:2,5, may at first seem to be either contradictory or confusing. I mean what is a burden, and what is a load? The first admonition (in verse 2) comes immediately after the command for the spiritually mature to gently come alongside those who are overtaken in a fault. The fault in question may have come as a wrong response to a burden that was just too heavy for that person to bear. If someone has stolen to feed their family, it is no good to simply tell them not to do it again (see James 2:14-16). We can be crushed by many things in life, and we were never intended to be alone (Genesis 2:18). The first admonition is to help bear the burdens of those being crushed by them.

The second is about taking appropriate responsibility. It would be inappropriate to expect the child to run before it could walk. On the other extreme (in most case) it would be inappropriate to be still tying the child’s shoelaces for him, when he was ten. The principle seems to be that, within reason, we should not do for others what they can do for themselves. And what that is, is likely a function of maturity. And maturity can have very little to do with age. The Scripture tells us that comparing ourselves with ourselves we are unwise (2 Corinthians 10:12), we may also be lacking compassion. Expecting someone who was abused as a child to be as mature as one who grew up in a stable loving home is comparing apples to oranges.

And what I want to say this morning, is that unless we are engaged in that aspect of sanctification that deals with our issues, then the above types of inappropriate comparisons are inevitable. But what are we to do with sixty year olds whose maturity was stunted because they medicated their pain year, after year, after year. In the words of a famous Bishop who seeing the drunk in the gutter was reported to say “There, but for the grace of God go I.” But it is not just about understanding, it is about this morning’s topic, and it's messy. And we need incredible wisdom to know what is burden and what is load (James 1:5). And we also need a lot of grace, and we likely need to learn good boundaries. Thankfully the Lord is raising up, and has raised up, many resources in these areas.

Father, it is messy. If we are finally coming out of denial about our addiction, we may still be in denial about the habits we formed trying to get our fix. We may be resentful that we are no longer able to manipulate others to take our share of our load. So Lord I am asking You to continue to help us this morning. Help us Lord to come out of the different aspects of our denial, to bear one another’s burdens (and so fulfill the law of Christ), and to recognize and carry our own loads. Yes it is messy, but it is Kingdom work in Jesus Name Amen