P.O. Box 853
Davenport, WA 99122
509.725.3270
YOUR BROTHER AND HIS LOAD
See if a tune pops into your mind the instant you hear these words: “If you see your brother standing by the road, with a heavy load, from the seeds he’s sowed….” If it does, then among other things, you’re probably over 40. If you’re 40 or under, you probably just think it sounds like a Bible verse. It actually isn’t a Bible verse, but it brings some to mind.
Maybe most prominent is the parable of the Good Samaritan; where a stranger and foreigner came along and helped the injured traveler. Another teaching, that is repeated in different words, is that if you want to be great in God’s kingdom, learn to be the servant of all (Matt 18:4, 20:26-27, 23:11, and more). James also comes to mind, when he says “But prove yourselves doers of the Word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves” (James 1:22).
This all came to mind recently when I saw a young man struggling under a heavy duffle bag. I had just pulled up to the Post Office in my pickup when I saw him coming from about a block away, obviously struggling with his load. I thought, “If he’s still around when I come out, I’ll offer him a ride.”
By the time I got out he wasn’t in sight, and I hoped he had reached his destination, so I was able to leave without helping and still have a clean conscience. Two blocks down the road, however, there he was, duffle bag on the ground, looking like he was trying to figure out how he was going to get this thing wherever it he was trying to take it. I was stuck with my conscience, pulled over and told him to throw it in the back.
Sometimes the price of helping someone is pretty high, but sometimes it is pretty light—like when you’re required to go a block or two out of your way to help someone, but he’s on foot and you have a pickup. But so often we find reasons not to help someone. I think back to the story of the Good Samaritan and the two religious leaders who passed by the injured man before the despised Samaritan stopped to help him. They probably had good reasons not to stop. Might be a trap, First Aid card is expired, don’t want to be late to prayer meeting; that kind of thing.
We have to remember that the prayer, “make me a servant” is a request to make me into a servant, not a request for a servant.
This idea of carrying a heavy load brings another passage of scripture to mind. In Matthew 23, Jesus describes the wasted efforts of the religious leaders of His day. “Therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them. They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger.”
While this is figurative language, the picture of carrying a heavy burden is so appropriate. There are lots of heavy burdens we can bear for a limited term. Men, think of the last time you lifted weights, even if you have to go back to high school in your thinking. Everybody did the bench press, and everybody had whatever he could lift. Some lifts are pretty impressive, too. But did you ever stop to ask the question, “for how long?” How long? Of course not, you just lift it then put it down.
But that’s what religious rules do: they put heavy burdens on us that we can bear for a while, but we cannot maintain them. That’s also what “religious people” can do: lay heavy burdens on others, while doing nothing to help them.
This is what the Law does, but it’s not what Jesus did. He maintained an absolute standard of righteousness, but did it without placing undue burdens on people. Just the opposite, He said, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matt 11:28-30).
Religious leaders and their rules place a heavy burden on people—the burden of rules. Jesus gives a burden, but accompanies it with mercy and forgiveness, and the burden is light. As I think of this young man with his heavy burden, I am reminded of my responsibility not to make someone’s burden heavier with useless rules, but to lighten it with the forgiveness of Christ.
But I’m not finished with this young man yet. When I told him to throw it in the back, he shook his head “No,” set his shoulders under the strap, and started off again. I said “That looks heavy.”
“At least a hundred pounds,” he answered, and was on his way. I hope he weighed it when he got home, because I think it was heavier than that, and I wouldn’t want to deprive him of bragging rights.
I understand why he wanted to do it himself—there’s a certain pride in being able to say you did something hard by yourself. He didn’t know me. Who’s to say I wouldn’t hit the gas as soon as he threw his bag in the back and all his efforts would be wasted. Maybe he would have gotten in trouble for taking a ride from a stranger. I don’t know his reasons, but I understand he would have had them. I know I wouldn’t have done anything wrong, but he didn’t have any reason to trust me. And my pickup , that could easily have carried the load that was such a burden to him, ended up being of no benefit.
Most of our efforts to help someone struggling under the weight of sin or religion will be declined. We know our offer is good, our motives are sincere, and our help is real; but the person hearing our offer may not have reason to trust us; or may even stubbornly insist on doing it on his own despite the difficulty. We still have the ability, and thus the responsibility, to offer that help. Maybe, over time, our offer will be accepted, and we can lighten our brother’s load.
