Cultural Clash
Bear one another’s burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2
Bear – How long will it take before we truly understand that the New Testament authors thought in Hebrew but wrote in Greek? Let me tell you how long. It will take as much time as it takes to realize that the Greek world that underlies our culture seduces us into behaviors that not only do not work but are opposed to God’s point of view. No better example of this tragedy can be found than what happens when we expect this command to work in most churches.
Paul was as Hebrew as they come. As a student of one of the world’s greatest rabbis, he was considered a successor to the position of a teacher of the Torah. In addition, Paul was zealous for the faith. God took those admirable characteristics and used them for His purposes. But that does not mean that Paul lost his Jewish perspective. When Paul tells the newly-formed churches to bear one another’s burdens, he means something very Jewish. Faith is not to be found in my private, inward experience of God. It is to be found in the outward actions that demonstrate that I see the world with God’s eyes. In particular, faith is to be demonstrated by my care for my neighbor. I need to step up to carry take the load from his shoulders. How else can I fulfill the law of the Messiah – to love one another?
You’ve heard all this, I’m sure. But have you thought about what it implies? If I am going to lift the burden off your shoulders, and so fulfill the law of Christ, I must know what burdens you carry. This implies that you and I share our deepest struggles, concerns, hurts and worries. I cannot fulfill the law of Christ if I don’t know what kind of load you carry. I cannot lift you up (Greek bastazo) and support you if I don’t know the real you.
Suddenly, our Greek world is threatened. The Greek world emphasizes private religious experience. It is the world in my heart. It applauds the independent, self-reliant person. It mounts a façade that masks my struggling self. No wonder the very thought of telling you precisely the burdens that weigh me down is so frightening. I don’t want you to think that I am weak. I don’t want you to know that I struggle with secret sins, that I sometimes doubt God’s grace, or that I worry about my life. I want to look like I am in control. I want to be Greek.
The Hebrew view of the world is very different. In the Hebrew view, the struggles of life are part of the process of God’s grace in me. I am weak because all men are weak. I falter because every human heart falters. If I were the perfect person that I pretend to be, I would not need God and I would not need you. When Paul tells us to bear each other’s burdens, he is advocating a view of life as it is, filled with faults and frustrations.
Will it be easy to switch? Of course not. I will always be tempted to protect my ego. But it is essential to change my thinking. Without opening myself so that you see who I really am, I prevent you from fulfilling the law of Christ. Do you think God will forgive me when my ego got in the way of His plan to bring both of us into conformity with His Son? Are you ready to strip off the Greek mask and become Jewish? Start now. Who really knows you?
