2018 Messenger September 2018 Messenger | Page 6

Women’s Ministry One Another “Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.” — Galatians 6:2 Galatians 6:2 tells us that the law of Christ is fulfilled as we bear one another’s burdens. The “second commandment” to love our neighbors as ourselves is visible as we bear one another’s burdens. The idea behind burden-bearing is to come alongside someone and make the load lighter. We might think of someone walking toward us weighted down with heavy baggage, and coming to their rescue, we carry some of that baggage for them. It is sympathizing with others that then goes beyond feelings to real help managing the load. In order to be helped ourselves and to give help to others, we have to know one another. How can we know one another unless we spend time together and are open to one another? How can we be a part of this community of helping unless we make time to think about others? Our lives may not be structured with community in mind in this culture. We seem to be primarily conditioned to be individuals with individualistic goals in mind for our own families, which can leave us isolated from others. But in the church we have the opportunity to break away from that point of view and have a bigger vision that includes others. It is hard to change our ways, but we can all make progress as we see the truths of God’s Word and carry out its priorities. Jane Boatright All Women Make Plans to Attend! From Middle and High School Age and Up Women of the Church Annual Fall Meeting and Luncheon Tea Saturday morning September 22 10:00 a.m. at Point Pleasant 441 Suncrest Blvd. Since we are told to bear one another’s burdens, we know that we all have burdens. Scripture doesn’t say that those who have no burdens are to bear the burdens of others. Burden-bearing is mutual in the family of God. Ed Welch says in his book, Side by Side, “The basic idea is that those who help best are the ones who both need help and give help. A healthy community is dependent on all of us being both.” We all need help and we are all to give help. PAGE 6 SEPTEMBER 2018 IPC