Galatians 6:1-6 Carry One Another’s Burdens
“Brothers, if someone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own work. Then he will have reason to boast in himself alone, and not in someone else. For each one should carry his own load. Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word must share in all good things with his instructor.”
If we think the fruits of the Holy Spirit are only there so that we can become some kind of holy display, we’re sadly mistaken! God gives the fruits of the Holy Spirit so that we can be channels of grace to others. Let’s look at this passage carefully.
“Brothers, if someone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness.” When we catch someone else doing something wrong, frequently our first reaction is to gloat, particularly if the individual in question has been unkind or critical to us. But the Holy Spirit buzzer is sounding and that response is wrong. If we were footballers (soccer players for you Americans), we would be getting red cards. Notice that God expects us to be spiritual-why? Because God gives His Holy Spirit to believers, and therefore we should be led by the Holy Spirit and not by our own passions and desires.
Next, notice that we are to restore this person “with a spirit of gentleness,” the gentleness of the Holy Spirit. How gentle do we have to be? Isaiah 42:1-3 tells us, “Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench…”
While reeds in swamps might be quite strong and flexible when intact, once bruised, they can easily be broken beyond healing. The phrase “smoking flax” refers to the flax used as wicks in oil lamps. As long as there is oil, the flax will continue to burn brightly; however, once the oil is running out, the flax may begin to smoke, signaling that it is about to fail completely. When a flax wick begins to smoke, it’s a tricky business to replenish the oil and blow softly on the wick to encourage the flame to burn properly again.
Many times, someone who has appeared quite strong may be faltering. Perhaps this person has been severely bruised or perhaps his supply of spiritual oil is running out and he is about to fail completely. At such times, we are far more vulnerable to temptations of all sorts, particularly those most appealing to our personalities.
“But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.” We should avoid any self-righteousness, for we too can fall into the same temptations that have ensnared others. For example, someone might be eliminating pornography on someone else’s computer, only to begin to enjoy it themselves.
“Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” How can we carry someone else’s spiritual burdens? First, we can pray for them, asking God to heal them in that particular area. Next, we can try to help them avoid temptation; this could mean inviting someone who has just been bereaved to join you for recreation or for a meal, so that they won’t find themselves alone with their temptations. If we want to help, God will certainly show us creative ways of bearing those burdens. Perhaps these burdens are not spiritual but financial. If God shows you a need, you must pray and ask God to guide you as to how you are to help with that need.
“If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own work. Then he will have reason to boast in himself alone, and not in someone else. For each one should carry his own load.” Oh, how quick we are to judge others and how slow we are to judge ourselves! Through the years, I have learned to back off when an individual or a group begin proclaiming that he/she/they are far too spiritual to associate with anybody else. Such thinking is Satanic and very dangerous. There is only one God, and we are not Him! The ground is level at the foot of the cross of Jesus. We are all sinners in need of a Savior. Again, we must examine ourselves and confess any sins the Holy Spirit reveals to us.
“Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word must share in all good things with his instructor.” Why does Paul include this advice as he concludes this section? Instructors are frequently the ones who sensitize us to our own faults; being an instructor may involve lots of risk with very little reward. When we encounter truth-tellers who enlighten us, we should be as kind to them as possible, sharing whatever we have with them. After all, the advice these people have given may have dragged us back from the brink of some yawning spiritual chasm. Why not reward those who have helped deliver us from ourselves?
In one of his books, Leo Rosten quotes the famous Jewish teacher and rabbi Maimonides as having said, “Tell the truth and see the world.” Spiritually restoring people can be a very risky business, for the very ones you are trying to help may turn and attack you. But God continues to call us to a ministry of restoration. Let us follow our Master Jesus, the Messiah, and continue to heal bruised reeds and to restore smoking flax.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to restore others in a spirit of gentleness, remembering that our turn for restoration may come at any point. Help us to share all good things with those who are instructing us and leading us. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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