Fulfilling the Law of Christ

Monday
As I started out this morning praying that the Holy Spirit would guide me to bear others' burdens today, I read Gal. 6:2 again and focused on what "the law of Christ" is. I cross-referenced it on my iPad Bible and found Gal. 5:14, which states: "...the whole law is fulfilled in one word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," which I knew to be one of Christ's greatest commandments, the other being to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

So that's what I started off the day trying to do: live the golden rule.

Let me tell you that the search today has been rewarding if not a bit tiring. I kept thinking about others' burdens all day, and it's like running a long distance race rather than a sprint. I need to find my wind! I prayed for needs of some people I know of today and asked God to put before me someone today whose burden I could share, and that happened.

Before I get to the person whom I think God put before me, I have to say that as I sought to help others, something great happened: I started looking for the positive in others. I don't want you to think I look for the negative, but I probably don't ACTIVELY seek to find the good in others. Know what I mean? Anyway, I felt encouraged when I went about encouraging the good in others by recognizing the positive qualities I found. What a great way to behave!! (It IS tiring, though--again, need to learn to go the distance.)

Right at the end of the day, when I didn't think I would get a chance to bear another's burden today, I got a call from a parent in obvious  distress. I won't go into details, for obvious reasons, but I can say that after the parent finished telling me about her several concerns, I assured her I would work to help her find a solution. I didn't do much, but she said, "I appreciate you allowing me to vent. I just needed someone to listen." Wow!

The tool Brother Gil gave in church yesterday worked, and I wasn't even thinking about it until after the parent told me I listened. It was like a Peter moment, when the crow sounded, he remembered what Jesus told him.

Gil's tool is PALS: When someone comes to you with a burden, he says to Pray, Ask, LISTEN, and then be Silent. I did the Listen part and that's all I had to do. Have I forgotten this "burden" I shared today? Absolutely not! Was it a major issue? It was to the parent!! Again, this was not anything I did but it was the Holy Spirit (MY burden-bearer) who guided me through this. All I did was be ready and willing to help.

As I end this day, I pray that I will find even more ways to fulfill this most important Law of Christ!!