The Weekly Word - A Devotion for the Week of May 11
“Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.” – Galatians 6:2-3
Perhaps you hold a position of authority or are a leader in your workplace or community. Maybe, if you are being honest with yourself, there are times when you think you have better things to do than offer assistance to a subordinate. Or perhaps you assume your agenda is too full and your to-do list too long for you to take the time to lend an ear to a person who needs to talk, or vent or grieve.
The truth is, we often get caught up in our own sense of self-importance. Remember, though, what Jesus tells us time and time again in the Gospels: the first will be last and the last will be first. No matter our job title, position, income, skill-level or standing in the community, God calls us to live humbly and with integrity and to love our neighbors as ourselves. In Kingdom hierarchy, no person is better than another.
Paul speaks from personal experience in these verses. Before his road-to-Damascus conversion, Paul was an important Jewish leader and revered by many Romans, particularly for his ruthless persecution of Christians. After his conversion, his whole mission was turned upside down. Paul humbled himself, modeling himself after Jesus and sacrificing his personal freedom and eventually his own life in order to live out God’s love and bring others to Christ.
Each of us is called to love our neighbor in our own unique way. Let us look to Paul and Jesus Himself, who show us how it’s done.
Gracious God, Your beloved Son Jesus willingly sacrificed Himself so that I may have life and have it abundantly. Help me to model my own thoughts, behaviors and actions on Jesus. Help me walk in His way and love my neighbor as Jesus loves me. Amen.