Serving Others

Scripture:
Galatians 6:2 – Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.
 
Observations:
Paul has been teaching the Galatians the burdens placed on them by living under the Mosaic law. In Galatians 5:14 it says, “For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” Under the law of Christ we are to love one another and by doing so we fulfill the law of Christ. The word used here for “burdens” means a load that is more that one person can handle and exceeds ones strength. It is a weight that will drag you down. Bearing that weight for each other means supporting, shouldering, comforting and assisting each other. It means being there in times of need and going the extra mile. It means helping even when someone may not realize they need assistance. It means being the arms and legs of Christ in a lost world.
 
Applications:
I’m pretty good at helping others. Most of us are. If a friend or neighbor asks us to help, we usually will. We need to be observant and aware of opportunities to serve others. I tend to get caught in my own little world and ignore the things going on around me. God is helping me to remove my blinders and see chances to help others. The other side of the coin is a little more difficult. Most of us like to believe that we are independent, self-reliant people. I know that I am. I like to think that I can do things myself, to take care of any issues and problems that may arise. It seems like I have failed when I can’t take care of something on own. So I tend to keep struggling and fighting until I get to some type of solution. It probably wasn’t the best outcome, but at least I’m done with it. During the clean up after Hurricane Katrina, I went with a group of men to clean trees off an elderly couple’s house. We worked on that house for about eight hours. After we had finished and prayed with the couple, the husband said that he had always been the one that had helped others and that he had never asked for help. He said he didn’t know how to accept help. His words have resonated with me. I don’t really know how to accept help. What will others think of me if I ask for help? What if they say no? All those negative thoughts go through my mind. My pride can beat me up here. We were blessed to have been able to help that couple and others. The command to love your neighbor as yourself was lived out. It fulfilled the law of Christ. I still have work to do in this area. I still have a tendency to want to help myself, but God is working on me. He reminds me that my desire for independence and pride may be robbing someone else of a blessing. I need to give them the opportunity to live out loving your neighbor as yourself.

Prayer:
God, help me to recognize the burdens of other and to be willing share the load with them. Help me to realize when I need help and to put aside my pride and receive help. God, never let me refuse to be your agent in loving others.

— David Hardin, community missions pastor