The Weightlifters

One day last week I went to the gym to work out. There were a lot of other people down there working out too. Some of them were lifting weights. As I watched the weight lifters, I noticed that they always worked in pairs. One of them would lie down on the bench to lift the weights while the other would stand up near the lifter's head.

The person standing near the head is called a spotter. The spotter stands near the lifter's head just in case the lifter needs some help. Sometimes, the spotter didn't need to do anything at all. Just being there gave the lifter the confidence needed to lift the weights.

Other times, the spotter would call out words of encouragement to the lifter, saying, "You can do it! You can do it!" That encouragement was just what the lifter needed to lift the weights.

As more and more weight was added and the bar became really heavy, the lifter became very tired. When that happened, the spotter had to help the lifter by lifting the weight for him. Then, the two traded places and the spotter became the lifter and the lifter became the spotter.

I think that is a pretty good picture of what the Bible teaches us that we are to do for one another. The Bible tells us to "bear one another's burdens." Sometimes we may have a friend who is going through some difficult times and needs someone to help carry their burden. Maybe our friend is sick, sad, or lonely.

Many times, we don't even have to say anything or do anything. We just need to be there and let them know that we care. Just knowing that we are there may be all they need to give them the courage to carry on.

Other times, our friend may need some words of encouragement. They may need for us to say, "You can do it! I believe in you! You can do it!" Those words of encouragement may be all they need.

Sometimes a person has a burden so heavy that they may need for us to lift that burden for them. Perhaps they have no money and need food or clothing. We can lift their burden by giving them what they need.

Do you remember what the weight lifters did? After one of them helped the other, then they traded places. The really beautiful part of what the Bible teaches about bearing one another's burdens is that sometimes we are the lifter and sometimes we are the spotter. We must be willing to give help to others as well as to receive it.

Dear Lord, just as Jesus loved us, help us to love one another and to bear one another's burdens.