What will you be toward others today?
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
– Galatians 6.2, 3
Let him be steadfast and without a shadow of weakness; let him be like an anvil in his support of every profitable thing. Let him be the servant of everyone, and let him take the responsibility of everyone’s sins upon himself.
– The Rule of Ailbe, Irish, 7th century
Do people see you as a burden bringer or a burden bearer? How do you see yourself? Are you an anvil that others can pound on with all their sorrows, uncertainties, fears, and doubts? Or are you the anvil that drops into the calm pool of their daily lives and makes everything upset?
Who do we think we are? Do we really suppose the whole world revolves around us and our problems? Roll them onto Jesus, then plead with Him for strength to care for those around you who are really suffering.
That’s the thing about Jesus: He exemplified the life of burden bearing. He took upon Himself the sins of the world, the sorrows of the world, the silliness and insipidity of the world, and He bore it all with grace, hope, and joy (Heb. 12.1, 2).
We pray for God to transform us into the image of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 3.18). We better watch out, because He just might do it. And then you’ll be a burden bearer like Jesus.
The world has enough burden bringers already, dear friends. In Jesus Christ we can find the strength to “be the servant of everyone” and to “bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” which is the law of love.
You’re getting ready to head off into your day. Will you be a burden bringer or a burden bearer?
Psalm 10.12-18 (Aberystwyth: “Jesus, Lover of My Soul”)
Evermore, Lord, You will reign! Nations perish from Your land.
You will with Your people stand; hear our cries of woe and pain!
Strengthen now our hearts, O Lord; vindicate Your people dear.
Drive away our every fear; heal and preserve us by Your Word.
Lord, like Patrick and great saints from every age, let us “preach” Jesus by bearing the burdens of others as well as by our gracious words. Adapted from Sechnall, Audite Omnes Amantes
T. M. Moore, Principal
tmmoore@ailbe.org
