The helper and the helped

​The helper and the helped (Read time ≈ 4 minutes)
Galatians 6:2
Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
 
“Bear one another's burdens”. This can present challenges for us. Sometimes, the greatest challenge is getting someone to accept the help! Sometimes the greatest challenge is being the one who needs help. There are two elements to this equation. The helper, and the helped. Sometimes it can be hard to find good help; good relationships around us who we trust and can lean on. However, in the continuation of human error, often when we find a trustworthy relationship we still resist help. “Oh, brother, you need some help! I am there for you!” But when it is time to receive help, it’s another thing. “Oh, no worries, man, I can handle it! I appreciate the offer, I’m good though.” Meanwhile, no one, including yourself, is fooled; you can’t handle it.
 
It is our pride, and nothing else that holds us back from being helped. Is it that we fear humiliation? Pride. Is it that we crave privacy? Pride. Is it that we fear rejection? Pride. Is it that we feel the need to appear independent? Clearly, pride! The fact of the matter is that we cannot do this on our own. Of course, we need God! We need the infilling and the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives! But also, God created us to need each other. Not only in fellowship, not only in communion of The Word, not only in partnering together to do the will of God; but we are designed to need each other and to need help from each other! The reality is, that God opposes pride (James 4:6) and one of the ways that he combats pride within us is by requiring us to require others. We take pride in bearing someone else's burdens. We shouldn’t, but we do. Because of this, God will be sure to cause us to require help with our burdens as well.
 
“Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ”. Here is the dynamic we may miss in this text. There are two roles to play in this. The helper, and the helped. If we resist help from a brother or sister in the faith, then we are resisting the effort and desire to obey Christ. Even more so, if we resist help from these, we are also not fulfilling the law of Christ. If you find yourself in a position to help, then by all means, help! And fulfill the law of Christ. It is without a doubt that we will all find ourselves in a position of needing help from others, and by all means, receive the help! Lay down your pride and lift up your hand to grab on to the helping hand extended out to you. The church helping the church, is one of the greatest miracles that takes place in the Body of Christ. Do not resist it... embrace it, “and so fulfill the law of Christ.”