Light (Lent #42)

“He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother”

There are times if life when I’ve been carried.

I’m thinking particularly of driving around with a buddy, beating his dashboard with a pair of drumsticks (not good for dashboards, by the way) as I grieved the loss of teenage love.

I’m thinking about conversations with my wife after being fired from an ad agency. (one of many times she’s carried me…this is a good woman).

I’m thinking about the embraces that surrounded me following the deaths of my grandparents.

I’m thinking about advice and counsel as I struggled through bits of seminary.

One of the blessings I recognize in my life is the people I have been in relationship with who lived “he ain’t heavy, he’s my brother.”  Whatever I needed.  Whatever it took.  Standing by me, shouldering the load.  What was heavy in my life didn’t go away, but it was made light, easier to bear, more tolerable for being shared.

I hope you’ve had people in your life who helped you in these ways.  They are a reflection of Jesus.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

Jesus is offering freedom from the rigid legalism of the religious elite of his day, but I think there is more going on here.  I think he’s saying, “you’re not heavy, you’re my bother/sister”.  He offers to lighten our load.  He takes what had been used to weigh people down and replaces it with grace and mercy.  Not easier, but lighter.  Not crushing us under impossible to keep rules and regulations, but releasing us to live lives of joy and peace and love.  Setting an example and offering a way we can follow.

“Come to me…go to them.”

May we be known as people of light, not just the “shining in the darkness” light, but the “let me help you carry this burden” light.

Life is better together,
Shawn