“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill
the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2
An
exhausted soldier in battle tries to climb over a wall, but the pack he carries
pulls him backward. He is desperate to scale the wall, but his wounds and
exhaustion threaten to defeat him. Then a buddy comes along, lifts the pack for
a few moments, and the grateful soldier makes it over the top. When he
retrieves his pack, he has renewed energy to carry it once more.
We
have burdens that threaten to topple us. Burdens can be heavy life situations
or even besetting temptations. Storms hit. Tragedy strikes. Heartaches
overwhelm. We can despair unless a buddy comes along and helps lift that burden
for a while. Our friends can’t carry it all for us, but often their presence
and support give us strength to keep going. Those who come along to “lift the
packs” of struggling soldiers are actually fulfilling
the law of Christ.
To fulfill means to complete. In other words, selflessly
carrying the burdens of others is exactly what Jesus wants us to do. This
doesn’t mean becoming an enabler or a fixer. It means giving a hand-up to
someone struggling to move toward God and falling backward. When we choose to
walk with someone who is suffering, extend patience to someone who wrongs us,
or hold friends accountable as they struggle to overcome sin, we are fulfilling
God’s desire for His family.
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