We Are All God's Children: Embracing DifferencesSample

The Gravity of Bearing One Another’s Loads

Few passages in Scripture illustrate putting your words into action better than Luke 5:18-26. In this parable, some men carried a paralyzed man on a mat to lay him before Jesus. The crowd was so large that they had to lower him down from the roof. Jesus saw their faith. He gave forgiveness and he caused the man to walk. The reason this encounter was so remarkable lies both in the power of Jesus and in the faith of those who came to him. These friends acted, doing whatever it took to see their friend healed. This is what it means to stand with another.

Speaking up means being an ally for others and taking a stand with others. The word ally comes from the Latin word alligare, which means “to bind to.” Thus, when we speak up and become an ally for others, we are bound together with them in ways we were not previously. Speaking up is also a part of standing with others in solidarity. This is one of the reasons Paul instructed believers in Galatians 6:2 (ESV) to “bear one another's burdens.” It is as we bear the loads of others that we become who God means us to be.

This points us to the importance of community. God created us to live together in harmony, to lift one another up in a broken world, and to tear down any walls that would keep us apart.

When it comes to serving others, the posture of the heart is everything. I often recall Christ’s words in Matthew 25:40 (NIV): “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Jesus reminds us that loving people is most important, no matter what social location they emerge from. When we focus on loving people, we are bringing glory to God and standing with people in the process.

Prayer

Father, help me to recognize the unique burdens others carry and be willing to help with the load. Help me to use my voice to make a difference among those who I have influence: in my place of work or ministry, on social media in a respectful way, or to people in positions of power. Amen.