Devon Dick
Recently, Mrs Mary Clarke, children's advocate, chided church and community leaders over the issue of a pregnant 15-year-old girl who ran away from home. It was initially assumed that she had been abducted, but it was later discovered that she ran away from home because of her pregnancy. Clarke asked where were the leaders in that community to offer comfort to a frightened teenager. Clarke believes that leaders need to help carry the burdens of others.
Paul in the letter to the churches at Galatia encouraged Christians to carry each other's burden, "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ." This verse is highlighting a practical outworking of a Christian life of helping a fellow Christian in carrying a heartache.
This passage assumes that we all have burdens and also that God does not expect us to carry them alone. And as a nation undergoing very difficult times, we must bear each other's burdens.
Confess your hurts
This is not the time to deny the reality of burdens. Instead, we ought to confess our hurts, sorrows and burdens. There is no need to pretend that we have no struggles, no fears, no tribulations, no trials. Sometimes we do not share our burdens because we do not want to be a bother to anyone or to inconvenience anyone. However, God does not want us to conceal our burdens or pretend that we are coping.
God is concerned about our burdens and the Psalmist knew that and said, 'Cast your burdens on the Lord and he will sustain you." Ps. 55: 22. Remember when Paul was heavily burdened he said, "But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus." (2 Cor 7:5, 6). We must resolve to become burden bearers like Titus.
We should, therefore, not complain about carrying the burdens of others, nor should the attitude be one of condemning the person with the burden. Too often, those who claim to be spiritual are quick to condemn the persons who have burdens because of their own bad lifestyle choices. Neither should we be cold - every man to himself. To carry each other's burdens means that we should be compassionate, that is, feel for the other person and do something meaningful.
Practical tips
On Sunday, Sergeant Norman Cox addressed the All-Members Fellowship at the Boulevard Baptist Church and he gave some practical tips on how to carry each other's burdens.
For example, he stated that on trial dates, the accused have a large following while the witness usually goes alone. What is required is that many persons support the witnesses. This is necessary if we are going to get witnesses to testify so that convictions can occur. We also have to be our neighbour's keeper in our communities and watch for unusual activities next door.
In addition, persons at the bottom of the economic ladder must be helped to carry their burdens. The Government's commendable clean-up efforts that benefit the environment ought to be supported by other measures.
Decrease the GCT rate
The Government should increase the PATH benefits, decrease the GCT rate from 16.5 per cent to 15 per cent (Britain reduced its sales tax recently) and increase the tax threshold.
These measures will also help the economy. And Government can increase cable taxes and institute a TV licence. Churches should not cut their outreach budgets, but rather, cut the property bill. Banks and other businesses need to survive on smaller margins.
In these most difficult times, we must help the most vulnerable with their burdens.
Rev Devon Dick is pastor of Boulevard Baptist Church and author of 'Rebellion to Riot: the Church in Nation Building'. Feedback may be sent to columns@gleanerjm.com
