Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6.2

Life Together
Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945)
“…the law of Christ is a law of bearing. Bearing means forbearing and sustaining. The brother is a burden to the Christian precisely because he is a Christian. For the pagan the other person never becomes a burden at all. He simply sidesteps every burden that others may impose upon him.”

By “burden-bearing” Bonhoeffer meant, in the first place, “putting up with.” No one is perfect; everybody has quirks and foibles that irritate others. We bear our brothers and sisters as burdens when we look through their shortcomings to love them as Jesus does. Think how much God puts up with in you. Yeah, that’s what grace is all about. The other part of burden-bearing – taking people’s concerns on as our own – is easier once we’ve mastered this first one. After all, we are generally always ready to help those we love unqualifiedly.

How do you deal with irritating or bothersome people? Is it possible that others might regard you in this way?

Kingdom and Church
The Church is both the sign that the Kingdom has come, and the outpost from which the Kingdom advances on earth as it is in heaven. What is my role as a member of that Body and a citizen in that Kingdom in bringing the Good News of Jesus to my world? These and related questions are addressed in our course One in Twelve: Introduction to Christian Worldview. Using videos, worksheets, study guides, and other resources, you can set your own schedule and study at your own pace through this free, online resource. For more information and to register, click here.

How’s your prayer life?
A healthy prayer life is indispensable for the kind of life together Bonhoeffer commends. We don’t know how to pray as we should, so we can use all the help we can get to improve this highest priority of the Christian life. Our book, The Poetry of Prayer, provides a variety of perspectives on prayer, together with practices designed to help you learn to pray with greater consistency and satisfaction. Order your copy by clicking here.

I’m often asked how The Fellowship of Ailbe is supported. Our heavenly Father supports us through the generous and faithful gifts of those who benefit from and believe in our work. Does the Lord want to use you in this way? Please look to Him in prayer over this question. You can contribute to The Fellowship of Ailbe by using the Contribute button at our website, or by sending your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Drive, Essex Junction, VT 05452. Thank you.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.