Photo: Copyright Marlyan Dimitrov, “What makes loneliness an anguish is not that I have no one to share my burden, but this: I have only my own burden to bear.” Dag Hammarskjold Flikr Creative Commons https://goo.gl/Y6lVnn https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/

Matthew 22:37-40

Jesus said, “Love the Lord God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.

That is the first and that is the greatest commandment.

The second is just like it; love everyone as you love yourself.

Hung on these two commandments, is all the law and the prophets.”

 1 John 4:21

This instruction we were given by Him.

That who loves God, should love his brother.

 Galatians 6:2

Bear each other’s burdens.

This will fulfill the law of Christ.

How often is it that we do not even know the burdens of those around us? After how many horrific social / family tragedies do we hear someone say, “Everything seemed ok. I had no idea they were struggling with all that.”?

How can we bear burdens that we aren’t even aware of?

 We even hear that phrase with parents speaking of their children, or one spouse speaking of the other. These are the closest relationships we have to us, and yet… we are ignorant of their burdens. If that is true, what of those social circles beyond those closest to us?

Our spouses, siblings, spouse? Our (literal) neighbor? Our neighbor’s grandparents neighbor? The people that sit in a pew 2 rows back and 5 people over towards the main door?

How can we help if we don’t know the problems around us? How can we bear a burden we don’t know someone else is carrying? Those are rhetorical questions obviously, because, it is clear that we can’t.

Before we even begin to address how to help people with all kinds of many varied burdens, struggles and pains, we need to gain the knowledge and awareness of their existence.

So, to start, I challenge those who read this, to pick one person, and ask, “How are you?”

Then, after they say, “Fine.” Reply with, “No. I mean…how are you really? I want to know if there is anything I can help you with.”

If you are truly brave, you can even pick someone you’re already sure needs help, by the way they walk, the way they talk, the weary look they carry on their face.

Also, and truly, I am sorry, but those of you who are under great secret duress, some of this responsibility falls on you as well. To you also, I challenge you pick one person you find yourself most able to dare it, and force yourself, drive yourself forward, and say plainly… “I need some help.”

We will start with that…and go from there.

Oh yes, naturally, if you ask to help, or ask for help… be prepared to offer help, or to receive it.

____________________

I have recorded audio versions of this, and my other devotionals, in formats that both do, and do not have background music. They can be listened to at…
SoundCloud.com/777arkV

I am an author, theologian and philosopher
I hope to be a teacher and a public speaker.
You can find information about me, my 1st book,
and much more that I’ve written at my website…
777arkV.com

Please note – If Bible verses are not specifically noted as being taken directly from the King James Version, I paraphrase all Bible verses that I use. The primary reason for this is in putting a verse into my own words I clearly expose how I read and understood the verse myself. Please always take the time to compare my understanding of a verse with the verse itself from your preferred translation of the Bible.

© 2015 Mark Vicari – All Rights Reserved