Everybody Needs a Jim
Two can carry a burden better than one.
Such is the thought behind Galatians 6:2, where the Apostle Paul exhorted believers to “bear one another’s burdens.” There’s something beautiful about an extra shoulder that shows up when the load is beyond our capacity.
For Bob, that shoulder belonged to a man named Jim.
Bob was a young pastor experiencing the various ups and downs of a small, rural church. One day, while praying for the flock during an intense time of church strife, he sensed a strong prompting from the Holy Spirit to go by and see Jim, an older gentleman in the church. Assuming it was for Jim’s sake, Bob dropped in on Jim, only to be met with an outstretched hand that offered a Coke and an invitation to stay for a bit.
“I was expecting you,” Jim said, asking next, “Wanna talk?”
Bob did precisely that.
What followed was unconditional love and a listening ear from Jim. He was present for and with Bob. Jim was the load-bearing friend that God brought around at just the right time, the hands that helped carry the burdens that would have otherwise buried Bob.
For over a year, Bob would “drop in” on Jim, and every time Bob was greeted with the outstretched hand that held a Coke and the burden-bearing shoulder that held some of the weight. As Bob would tearfully describe it later, “Jim was an oasis from God in my pastoral desert. He was a refreshing friend who bore the burden with me.”
Is there a ‘Bob’ in your life? What could you do today to help bear the burdens of that person? In what ways could you flesh out Galatians 6:1 in that relationship? Consider an encouraging call or text. A delicious meal. A simple gift. An edifying conversation. Even a Coke.
After all, everybody needs a Jim.
Pastor Todd