August 13

Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. — Gal 6:2

There are two words here about burdens. We are told to bear one another’s burdens.

This is the law of love – called here the law of Christ. That is the way Christ Himself does, and that is also His law for us.

No one is a Christian who is not at least learning to live in this way. That is love’s way. Everyone we meet has some burden, some need, and we are to seek to be the helper of everyone in some way.

The other word seems to be just the reverse. “Each man shall bear his own burden.”

After all that we can do for others, each one has to live his own life, has to carry his own load. We cannot choose for any other, we cannot repent for another, we cannot believe for another. The gentlest, most loving mother cannot bear her child’s pain, cannot do her child’s duty, cannot get her child’s sins forgiven.

In the parable the wise virgins could not share their oil with the foolish. This was not disobligingness – it is the law of life, that each must bear his own burden.