Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day's out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ's law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived. – Galatians 6:1-3 (The Message)
What does it mean to you to “live creatively”? How much work do you need on forgiving others? What does it mean to share another’s burden? Why does sharing burdens complete Christ’s law?
This is an old fable:
A man set fort on a journey, driving before him an ass and a mule, both well laden. The ass, as long as he traveled along the plain carried his load with ease, but when he began to ascend the steep path of the mountain, felt his load to be more than he could bear. He entreated his companion to relieve him of a small portion, that he might carry home the rest; but the mule paid no attention to the request.
The ass shortly afterwards fell down dead under his burden. Not knowing what else to do in so wild a region, the man placed upon the mule the load carried by the ass in addition to his own, and at the top of all placed the hide of the ass, after he had skinned him. The mule, groaning beneath his heavy burden, said to himself, “I am treated according to my deserts. If I had only been willing to assist the ass a little in his need, I should not now be bearing together with his burden, himself as well.”
Like any old fables there is a moral to the story, but perhaps Paul said it best. “Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.” Sometimes we think we have so much to do ourselves, we fail to recognize that there are others who are in much more need. Somehow we are all in this together so we need to help each other. Maybe that is why Jesus ended up on the cross, to show us that God is in this together, with us no matter what. Pray that we complete Christ’s law.
With hope and joy,
Garrett
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