Scripture
2Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. 3If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important. Galatians 6:2-3
Observation
There’s an intentional call back to the parable of the Good Samaritan here in Paul’s writing to the Galatians. Like the religious men in the parable who walked right by the man left dead in the ditch, some of the leaders in the church in Galatia were filled with so much pride they felt they were there to be served rather than to serve. Paul was saying, “Instead of throwing more burdens from the law on those who are already drowning, give them a hand out of the hole through the law of Christ that literally all of us are called to.” What's the law of Christ anyway? "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:34–35). This is such a simple command. Open your eyes and help. You don’t need a church committee, you don’t need to wait to see if someone is going to notice, you don’t need to wait for a better time. Help the one in front of you and make sure no one sees you doing it. This isn’t about you!
Application
If you see a need, meet it. If you see a burden, lift it. If you see the broken, heal it. Therein lies the problem. We don’t see it anymore. We are so focused on ourselves as the star in our own movies, so wrapped up in our self promotion, the victim hood mentality that pervades our culture means we are all waiting for someone to help us, not the other way around. All I see... is me! With nine in 10 U.S. adults owning a cell phone as of January 2014, lawmakers have reacted by banning text messaging for all drivers in 46 states and the District of Columbia, according to Distraction.gov. Scientists call the phenomenon “inattentive blindness,” saying that the human brain has evolved to only be able to adequately focus attention on one task at a time. So when you’re texting or talking or driving on the phone while trying to walk, you cannot give your full attention to both tasks. Our job is to focus on the needs of others, but if we can only focus on one thing at a time and we are focusing on ourselves we need to be reminded- we are not that important. Even as I was sitting here Taylor shared a story from Monday that illustrates this perfectly. After a 12 hour day at the hospital with baby Elena’s transfusion his wife Kati had a dead phone, a 4 week old baby poked and prodded all day, and had forgotten her wallet at home. A nurse was on her way home and noticed Kati rushing back to the hospital to get help so she could get home. The nurse could have just walked right on by and said to herself, “my shift is over and Im tired, someone else can help her.” Instead she stopped and asked that simply powerful question, “How can I help you?” She could have said, “Im tired of doing good.” No doubt, that nurse was tired, but she saw the need and did the good. If her helping was just about her job then it was transactional, but instead this was who she was and her gift was transformational. This nurse wasn’t virtue signaling she was walking in virtue!
Prayer
Lord, I must repent because I walk around with blinders on. Distracted by my selfish pursuits my inattentive blindness has me walking right by the assignments you’ve put right in front of me. The interruptions are invitations to be Your hands and feet. I pray that You would give me the heart of that nurse that knew her job was to help people both inside and outside the hospital. I’ve had so many people over the years come alongside to carry my burdens when I felt I would be crushed by the unbearable weight of the crisis. They were Jesus to me in those words, those gifts, those meals. I’m not that important, but You’re law of love is the most important. I want to follow Your lead. Open my eyes! I’m not the center of the universe, You are!
“9So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. 10Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.” Gal 6:9-10
