My Grandma Cox was one of the sweetest, kindest people I’ve ever known. She lived the love of Jesus in everything she did. She was also humble to a fault. My Dad used to say when Grandma got to heaven and saw all the stars on her crown, she’d want to give it back, insisting they couldn’t all be for her.
In her later years Grandma was quite stooped over and walked very slowly. In spite of this, she would go out of her way to help someone out, but she never wanted to bother someone to help her. Sometimes she would take this a little too far.
Once, when I brought her back to the adult home where she was living, we were slowly walking down the hall to her room, and she said to me, “I’m just going to put my Bible in my room and then come back to the dining hall to eat.”
I looked down at her and then looked at her Bible, which I was holding. Confused, I said, “But Grandma, I have your Bible. I can just take it to your room.” She shook her head and said, “No, I don’t want to be a bother.” I sighed and kept taking small steps beside her, all the while thinking I could have been there and back again twice already.
Paul tells us to, “Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2 NLT). It’s okay to want to carry your own load, to pull your own weight, but it’s also okay to ask for help. God wants us to help each other out, but I can’t share your burden if you won’t let me carry it for a while.
I hope we will all follow Grandma’s example and “be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others.” (1 Timothy 6:18). At the same time, if you could use a helping hand, don’t be afraid to ask.
If you’ve got something weighing you down, don’t let pride stand in your way or worry about “being a bother.” Ask a friend to help you carry the load. Afterall, that’s why God gives us friends and family, so we can “share each other’s burdens…”.
P.S.:
If you’ve got a burden you need some help carrying, I’d love to help you carry it to Jesus in prayer. Just message me and together we’ll bring it to the One who promised, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28 NLT).