I'm so glad for this simple little verse. It reminds me of the great depth of love and self sacrifice that is possible between Christ's followers. It makes me think of the love that has filled our hearts for the brethren ever since His love has been shed abroad in our hearts. It is a beautiful thing.
At the same time though I know the very act of bearing other's burdens is rocky ground and we can very easily add to their burden instead of ease it.
It's a place where our Christian love and Christ-likeness can shine to the glory of God, or a judgmental attitude that knows nothing of loving the unworthy and the struggling.
To truly bear other's burdens takes quite of bit of Christian maturity and it doesn't come without drawing us to first examine ourselves.
1. We need humility, a humility that sees ourselves as God sees us.
To bear one another’s burdens we must first of all know ourselves and our own weaknesses. We cannot bear other's burdens if we aren't even aware of the extent of our own burdens [Matt. 7:3]
“None [is] so empty of grace as he that thinks he is full.” || Thomas Watson ||
“There is no such thing as a great man of God, only weak, pitiful, faithless men of a great and merciful God.” || Paul Washer ||
We are plagued with our sins daily, and often even hourly. It only is with this knowledge deeply engrained into our minds that we can effectively minister to others. A women who is acutely aware of her own brokenness is the only kind of women who can bring true, deep, sympathetic help to others.
“It is very common for a man to look upon himself as wiser and better than other men, and as fit to dictate to them. Such a one deceives himself; by pretending to what he has not, he puts a cheat [no regulation] upon himself, and sooner or later will find the sad effects. This will never gain esteem, either with God or men. Every one is advised to prove his own work. The better we know our own hearts and ways, the less shall we despise others, and the more be disposed to help them under infirmities and afflictions. || Matthew Henry ||
She who has been much with Christ in prayer over her own sins and weaknesses will not be so apt to readily pick out another believer for their weakness. When an occasion comes to guide and reprove a believer she will do it with utmost humility “looking to yourself, so that you too should not be tempted” || Gal. 6:1 || I will be the first to tell you that I know first hand this doesn't come easily. There are few things I struggle more with than pride and I am sure this is true with many believers.
For when a man thinks he is something when he is nothing he deceives himself. || Gal. 6:4 ||
Humility also seeks to be last rather than first. It will seek to encourage and build up a brother or sister rather than tear them down and add more weight and guilt on their already heavy load. While we have been saved from the condemning power and rule of sin, sin is still there. Knowing this we should be humbled to a point where it is a joy to stoop down and lift up even the weakest of believers. Looking down on a brother or sister just because you don’t struggle with the same sin that they do says that your sins are somehow not as bad. This of course is characteristic of an attitude that becomes the Pharisees more than our Savior.
Look to the cross and see what Christ suffered that unworthy sinners like us should be rescued! Look to Christ who when he was on earth associated with the lowly and who humbled himself. We can never humble ourselves to the extent that Christ did, therefore no man or woman is unworthy of our love and help.
|| Phil. 2:1-11 ||
When we see ourselves as servants of Christ to others then we will be most useful not only for helping and bearing their burdens but advancing the Kingdom of God in our own hearts and others. God will not greatly use men who have a high esteem of their own knowledge and abilities. He is glorified in the weak.
If I cannot in honest happiness take the second place (or the twentieth); if I cannot take the first without making a fuss about my unworthiness, then I know nothing of Calvary love. || Amy Carmichael ||
2.We need love and tenderness dealing with the broken and the weak.
When dealing with others it is vital that we carry their burdens with gentleness, compassion and sensitivity. They are weak and faltering and the last thing that is needed is a judgmental, censorious attitude. It is here where we can be in danger of increasing their burden. If we add to their guilt or somehow blame them for their difficulties rather than coming up beside them to carry their weight to the throne of grace then we are increasing it. We are to encourage the fainthearted and uphold the weak not point the finger ungraciously at their faults.
Lately I have been reading Christian Love by Hugh Bining and when he talks about restoring a believer he compares it to setting a joint back in place. It is something done with utmost care and gentleness knowing that in our words and actions we can either gain or lose a brother, glorify God or ourselves.
"By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" || John 13:35 ||
Conclusion:
Bearing burdens can and should be a great delight. What a wonderful thing it is that we can take part in another's Christian walk and help the struggler regain his footing. We can help them back to the heights and cause them to be carried out of the dreary lowlands to see His face and more closely commune with their Lord again. Encourage, exhort and lift them up to remember the Lord once more in His goodness and glory. This is Christian love, and this is truly bearing another's burden. They will look back to the time when they struggled in the darkness and you came with the light of His word and showed them back to the path again. Together you will then be able to rejoice in the grace of God, in His great love toward the wandering sheep. Together you will be lost in wonder love and praise at the thought of His never ending mercies to the broken and falling... to the unworthy like us.
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