Articles
You Are Not as Heavy as I Thought
You Are Not as Heavy as I Thought
Corey Sawyers
"You aren't near as heavy as I thought you were!" Guys, never, ever, tell a woman that. I have tried to raise my boys to know this simple truth. Still, that was the statement my eight-year-old son, Gannon, made to a friend of ours. She is a grown, married woman who, because of health issues, uses a wheelchair. She loves Gannon, and he loves her. So, at lectureships and events when we get to be around them, you will often find him hanging around her. She asked him to hold her hand and help pull her along. As they went down the aisleway between the booths, he made the now infamous remark above. "You aren't near as heavy as I thought you were!" And to think, I was proud when he learned to talk! (Ha Ha!)
We all have burdens that weigh us down. Perhaps you are facing such a hardship. Maybe it is financial trouble, workplace issues, marriage issues, relationships with parents or children, or even a sin issue. Those are real issues and real problems. They are real burdens. However, the book of Galatians gives insight on dealing with those. "Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ."
In context, Paul is writing to those who are spiritual (6:1). He has already defined what it means to be spiritual. They are those who walk by the Spirit (5:16), are led by the Spirit (5:18), and produce the fruits of the Spirit (5:22). He tells those who have "spiritual credibility" are to bear the burdens of the weak. The word translated "bear" means to bear anything burdensome. The idea is that someone is bending over under a load, and we get up under the weight, throw our shoulder into it, and help lift it off of them.
Of course, this requires two equal parts. First, it necessitates one to be honest about the burdens they carry instead of us hiding them out of pride or shame. Second, it requires those who are spiritual/mature/strong to be looking for others who are weighed down with a load. We must be willing to not add to that load, but instead, help them shoulder the weight they are carrying.
When members of God's family are willing to both accept and give help, that does not take the burden away. We still have to deal with the problems and struggles of this life. However, when we are loving and unified as we should be, we soon find we can look at life's burdens and say, "You aren't near as heavy as I thought you were!"
