Bear On!

There’s a baseball phrase used to describe a baseball pitcher who [seemingly] needs to be replaced in a game: “Stick a fork in him, he’s done!”  A former pitcher’s mother, I assure you it is not a good thing to say when his mother is nearby.

Spiritual meekness is hard work!  It’s tough because of the pridefulness of sin within us.  It almost “feels” good to say, “I quit” or “I’m finished” or “I wash my hands of this.”   Yes, that seed of sinful pride deep within the soul swells of contentment having accomplished such a mark.  Paul writes, however, “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.” (Galatians 6:2-4)  “Oh, stop it” our pride yells!  Truth is, we share the same weakness and foolishness of others.  We ultimately fulfill the “law of Christ” when we bear with others in love and compassion, which brings genuine joy and testimony of conscience unto God.  I’ve never been a baseball pitcher but I’ve known the stress of a pitcher’s mom so I sympathize with other pitcher-moms.  There’s really only one measure of how deeply we are commanded to bear another’s burden, and quite simply it’s to the depth Christ bore every debt of our own – even death on the cross. Weary not, my friend.  Bear on!