Bear Each Others’ Burdens

I learn a lot from plants. Basically because I know next to nothing about them. That leaves a lot of room for learning, wouldn’t you agree? (Notice I said I learn FROM plants, not ABOUT plants…but I digress…)

And sometimes I learn how to care for them by finding out what NOT to do to them. Rubber Tree Incident of 2000 ring a bell?

This little plant was given to Tina as a gift from a group of senior citizens she spent time with for a Roberts-related activity she organized. It was so cute! Little pink flowers, beautiful, dark green leaves, what’s not to like?

So I put it on our kitchen window with the other plants I’m trying to kill, oops- I mean lovingly raise, and waited to see what it would need from me. Eventually I knew it would need something.

It wasn’t long before some of the little flowers wilted, so I plucked them off, keeping the nutrients going to the healthy parts of the plant. It was thriving under my care. Thriving, I tell you!!

Well, that little plant didn’t need watered very much. At least I thought it didn’t. In fact, the first time I watered it was when I noticed all the leaves drooping. (This may or may not be a common theme around here.) Oops.

So I filled a small cup, and went to pour the water onto the plant.

You know what happened? Those thick, heavy leaves were like a repellent, blocking all the water from getting into the soil. I couldn’t for the life of me pour any water into the actual pot while it was still on the shelf.

I had to reach up, which wasn’t easy, because I’m short in case you didn’t know, and take that plant off the shelf, lift up the leaves, and THEN get water into the soil. Those leaves were exposed to sunlight for food, but they wouldn’t let water absorb into the soil.

And it made me think.

Sometimes we carry heavy things. Those things can be from our past, or they could be current stuff we’re going through. Either way, they are a part of us. And maybe we work hard to make it look like everything is okay. We work to hold up those heavy leaves, perhaps even glorying in the weight of them for a while.

But heavy things eventually make me droop.

Even though I’m exposed to ‘sonlight’ for food (church attendance, I’m looking at you), the water of the Word isn’t actually absorbing into my soil because my heavy leaves are blocking it out.

I need someone else to come alongside me, pick me up from the shelf, and help me lift that weight so the water can get into my soil and refresh me. Left to myself, I will wither and dry up trying to do it on my own.

My point is, we need each other.

Don’t for a second think that this life was meant to be lived alone. Don’t be a martyr struggling under the weight of heavy things because “It’s just my cross to bear”. Don’t let your soil get dried up because you are too afraid or ashamed to ask for help. We are called to be there for each other. We all need it at one time or another.

The Bible is full of verses reminding us that this life was never meant to be lived alone. And spiritual maturity is sometimes a group project. Don’t let the heaviness of your leaves keep your soil dry. And don’t be afraid to help lift someone else’s leaves. There is joy in helping bear the burdens of another.

Eventually I had to prune all those leaves back, because they were dying. And you know what? Getting heavy things out of the way makes it easier to grow. The soil is so easy to water now. I’m looking forward to seeing it bloom!!

1 Thessalonians 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

Hebrews 10:24-25
(24) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: (25) Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Galatians 6:2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4
(3) Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; (4) Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

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