Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. ~Leo Tolstoy
The first question which the priest and the Levite asked was: "If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?" But... the good Samaritan reversed the question: "If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?" ~Martin Luther King, Jr.
There is a multi-layered, complex tension between what we are personally responsible for our in our spiritual growth and what role we play in others’ lives as they pursue God. At times in our walks with God we are called to personal reflection and solitude to hear from God and move in obedience. At other times, the Holy Spirit prompts us to enter into service and relationship with others so that His glory becomes evident in our lives and to the world.
How can we carry each other’s burdens while still carrying our own? How can we be individuals but still be part of the whole? And how can we guard against thinking we are something we’re not, but still take pride in ourselves? Paul’s letter to the Galatians has a section that addresses these questions and I’ve been wrestling with it for a while now. Here it is:
1Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. 2Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, 5for each one should carry his own load.
6Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.
7Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Galatians 6:1-10)
Every time I read this part of Paul’s letter I think, “Tricky, tricky balance.” It’s a tricky balance between individual responsibility and reciprocal accountability. Between checking behavior and checking motivation. Between living as my own unique creation and allowing other believers to speak into my life and have influence on my spiritual growth. Regardless of the pictures in our minds associated with this letter, there are several things in it that merit inspection.
A breakdown of the balance between personal and reciprocal responsibility might look like this:
Personal Responsibility
A. Watch yourself (6:1) – Others may warn us, but we alone are responsible for putting up boundaries and structure for protection or growth in our spiritual journeys. And it behooves us to be proactive. Paul’s warning is really against thinking we’re so high and mighty that we’ll never need the grace, patience and forgiveness we’re extending to someone else today. That’s dangerous pride that precedes an inevitable fall.
B. Test your own actions (6:4) – This requires time alone with God to hear His Spirit convicting us of words spoken in haste or too harshly, sinful behaviors, or patterns that are detrimental to growth in the ways laid out in Scripture. It also necessitates vulnerable and authentic relationships with other believers so that they can speak into my life and make me aware of sin that I don’t see.
C. Carry your own load (6:5) – No one can do the heart work necessary to lay out old wounds and process my feelings of anger, sadness, resentment or fear except me. I can take others with me to a certain extent as I invite them to pray for me, speak honestly to me, and listen actively to my story, but I will stand alone before God someday and give account for the life I’ve lived and the way I’ve loved. There are places only He and I can go, and I alone can take responsibility for being healthy and whole so I can give to others.
D. Take pride in yourself (6:4) – The Bible speaks so often of pride in a negative light that it seems counterintuitive to see it commended in any context. The pride Paul refers to here is a content satisfaction in knowing who I am because I have sought God and heard Him. Instead of wanting to be more like someone else and bemoaning my lot in life because I don’t have what she has or look like she does, I press into God and ask Him who I am and what I’m doing on this earth. That kind of pride is God-confidence and we can walk with our heads held high, knowing that our identity and purpose are sure and that we are loved beyond our comprehension. Then, and only then, am I free to engage others without defense or pretense because I have nothing to hide and nothing to lose.
E. Reap what you sow (6:7) – We can only persevere in doing good or obeying God in the course of a lifetime if we are properly motivated. Paul says in this passage that we reap destruction when we are motivated by our own sinful, short-term pleasure, but that we reap eternal life – abundant, satisfying life – when we are motivated to please the One who guides and convicts us. Eternal life begins now, and we can only hope to reap a harvest of righteousness and joy when we continually seek time in God’s Presence to understand and know Him. The more we know Him, the more we will love Him. And the more we love Him, the more natural it becomes to do what pleases Him.
Reciprocal Responsibility
A. Restore each other after sinning (6:1) - Look at how the chapter begins: Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. Once we’ve grown some and become “spiritual”, or in tune with the Spirit, we can come alongside those who have fallen to equip and restore them into obedience. The verb tense indicates the necessity for endurance and patience in the process. The word itself implies that we are to use deliberate kindness in their restoration. The goal is God’s glory, not an individual’s humiliation or condemnation. But we are definitely called to help each other, not to ignore and tolerate sin.
B. Carry each other’s burdens (6:2) – Sometimes life’s trials are too much to carry alone and we are encouraged to help each other when it’s just too hard. This may include interceding in prayer, helping others financially, lending a hand to physical labor, or actively engaging as a listener to relieve another’s pain. It doesn’t mean one who is struggling can disengage from his or her own trials, but that as each of us leans on God to carry the load, we can get help from others, too. Jesus said that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. When we go to His strength and His perspective with our heavy hearts, He often brings others around us to comfort and help.
C. Exchange knowledge and good things (6:6) – As someone who has led Bible studies and walked with younger Christians as they discover the truths of God’s Word, I can tell you that sometimes the best of the “good things” a learner can share is their joy of learning. It is an honor to be included in the triumphs and trials of a life when one is navigating the waters of spiritual growth. This concept can also be applied to giving financial support to one who is devoted to teaching others so that they are free to pursue the gift God has given them without the distraction of a second job.
D. Do good to each other (6:10) – Could this be any clearer? This last verse of the section implies being proactive in looking for opportunities to bless those around us. And if we take care to be properly connected to and motivated by the Holy Spirit, God will bring those opportunities to us and we will rise to the occasion. James 2:17 says, “faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” Our love for God and understanding of His grace and power in our lives should compel us to reach out to others and build them up.
Changing the world and changing ourselves. Can we separate the two? And can we do either without the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives? I submit that we cannot.
May the words of Scripture encourage and inspire us to pursue God with all our hearts and all our actions this week. And may He speak clearly to us and remind us of His great love for us.
• Reread Galatians 6:2. What is “the law of Christ”? How does it connect to the concepts in this passage? (You may want to also look at Matthew 22:35-38 and Luke 10:25-37 to see what Jesus said.)
• Which category seems like a bigger challenge to you: taking personal responsibility or helping others? Why? Where can you look in Scripture for further meditation in this area? (Suggestion: the book of James has some very practical applications of spiritual topics. And 1 and 2 Corinthians talk a lot about relationships.)
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