Our Own And Another’s Burden

THERE is an interesting distinction made by Paul in the sixth chapter of his epistle to the Galatians in the words which are there translated “burden.” In the second verse the apostle recommends the merciful conduct, “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” In the fifth verse he seems strangely to contradict this counsel when he remarks, “For every man shall bear his own burden.” A study of the original phraseology, however, illuminates this apparent inconsistency, for there we find that the writer employs two distinct words, though the translator utilizes but one.

The word translated “burden” in the second verse is baros, a Greek word which means a weight, heavy encumbrance, oppression; while in the fifth verse the word used is phortion, a word that signifies whatever may be carried, hence a load or cargo,—often used in connection with shipping; it does not imply heaviness or oppression, for a load may be composed of very light materials, and we sometimes hear the expression “a precious cargo.” This distinction may be observed also in the text of Matthew, where Jesus says, “For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Here the word for burden is the same one which Paul selected in the second quotation from Galatians,—phortion, that which may be carried. In the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, found in the twentieth chapter of Matthew, where Jesus spoke of those “which have borne the burden and heat of the day,” the word chosen for burden is baros, oppression, and is identical with the word employed by Paul in the first quotation from Galatians.

From this distinction we learn that there are two kinds of burdens,— one of which we are to consider it our own responsibility to bear, the other of such a character that we may with propriety seek the aid of some fellow worker in the carrying of it, or offer to him our assistance, as the case may be. What is this burden which we each are required to bear? Is it not the individual task of working out our own salvation— the problem which we are enjoined to solve “with fear and trembling”? Another may not carry this burden for us, since it is each one’s duty to express the divine purpose in his own individual way, God having ordained a special work which he alone can accomplish and for which he is responsible. We can easily see that what might seem to one person an advisable course of conduct for another, may be inexpedient at the time for that one’s spiritual advancement and welfare.

When we realize that this burden for which we are individually responsible is the establishment of our spiritual identity through the unfoldment of divine ideas in consciousness and practical proof of our unity with God, we can see why Jesus could declare that his burden was “light,”— light because joy inspiring to work out his Father’s will, in spite of the difficulties which attended his way. The Master told his disciples, “He that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me;” for the problem of working out one’s salvation involves taking up the cross, enduring “to the end” the trials, persecutions, and afflictions which assail those who dare to challenge evil’s pretense to place and power. In speaking of the stormy experiences that await those who stand valiantly for the truth, our Leader says (Science and Health, p. 254): “Your good will be evil spoken of. This is the cross. Take it up and bear it, for through it you win and wear the crown.”

But if we are to bear one another’s burdens, what burdens are these? Are they not the oppressions, the cares and perplexities with which mankind is seemingly weighted down, and from which it cannot extricate itself without compassionate and efficient help? When Jesus sent his disciples to heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, and raise the dead, he was asking them to bear the burdens of those who were fainting under the weight of harsh and tyrannical verdicts of the carnal, mind. Through their spiritual apprehension of the liberating and regenerating law of Life, Spirit, Truth, Love, the disciples joyfully relieved these weary ones of their oppressions, uplifting and encouraging them, and bearing for them their burdens long enough to display their utter nothingness. Understanding the nature of true substance, they could detect the unreality of evil and disease, and prove man’s exemption from these terrifying and burdensome illusions. Christian Scientists are rejoicing that through the restoration by Mrs. Eddy of this holy, inspiring work, they also may scientifically “fulfil the law of Christ,” and today bear their own as well as “one another’s burdens” by demonstrating man’s eternal oneness with the Father, divine Love, who sustains, governs, and protects all impartially.

The question naturally arises, How are we always to know whether we are bearing the right burden? Since there are two,—one that we should and one that we should not bear,—may we not, with the best intentions, be carrying the wrong burden sometimes in endeavoring to help another in his effort toward freedom and harmony? The capacity to discover wherein this nice distinction lies, is one which undoubtedly requires prayerful cultivation on our part, because if we are not alert we may easily be misled into thinking that we are helping another by bearing his burden, when intelligent discrimination of what is and what is not our work may disclose the fact that we are saddling ourselves with a load which is his legitimately to bear, and hence be hindering rather than helping him. Again, lack of this real, compassionate intuition may blind us to the opportunity of relieving another of his oppressive burden, arguing to us that this is his own work, thus leaving him cold and comfortless when in need of loving assistance.

Jesus taught his disciples that they were to uplift the fallen, heal, strengthen, and liberate from false beliefs all who turned to them for help, all who were “worthy;” only from those who were “not worthy”— which we may well understand to mean those as yet unwilling to part with their false gods of worldly wisdom, to renounce their dominant love of self, or to be cleansed from secret sins—were they to withhold the healing truth. In other words, they were to cultivate, through spiritual discernment, the intelligent discrimination of what actually was and what was not their work as faithful laborers in the Father’s vineyard. They never were to allow themselves to be convenient bearers of the burdens of other men who were mentally or morally too apathetic to take up the cross of individual self-sacrifice and service.

On the other hand, the disciples were never to miss an occasion to render competent assistance when they were confronted by a real need. Their recommendation to the Master at one ‘time, that he “send the multitude away” so that they might buy food for themselves, implied that they considered this provision to be the problem, or burden, of the multitude itself. Jesus, however, rebuked their lack of discrimination, and placed the responsibility in another direction, when he said simply, “They need not depart; give ye them to eat.” This great multitude had given definite and convincing proof of their receptivity to spiritual things, for after Jesus had departed by ship, “they followed him on foot out of the cities,” even carrying with them their sick to be healed by him.

The disciples, in being privileged to dispense the multiplying fragments to the people, not only learned a lesson in reliance on God for supply, but they gained a more intelligent discrimination in bearing “one another’s burdens;” while the multitude, refreshed and strengthened by this unexpected proof of the Father’s great bounty and loving care for them in the wilderness, were unquestionably stimulated thereafter to bear individually the burden of working out their own salvation through confidence in God as Love.

In our work today of scientifically demonstrating that “the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” we soon detect that this great task includes the inspiring one of awakening ourselves and others to the opportunities for growth awaiting each individual who courageously accepts his responsibility,—his own burden,—and who rejoices in his work, in the activity and conscientious application to detail which is the demand of all constructive achievement, whether it be material, so called, or purely metaphysical, spiritual. Mortal mind is inherently lazy; it sometimes appears to be intensely diligent, but close analysis is apt to reveal the fact that its busyness is generally extended in trying to shift some legitimate responsibility upon another, or failing to accomplish this, in dodging, the laborious detail work required to bring out a perfect result.

In other words, the carnal mind ever seeks to reap the harvest it has not sown. Consequently it is only the thought inspired out of itself, as it were, which truly loves to work, appreciates activity in others, and, willing to bear its own burden, patiently and joyously conforms to the labor attached to all accurate, scientific, spiritual attainment. Such labor, far from being drudgery, is highly stimulating, ennobling and enriching the student, repaying his every effort with a conscious advance in spiritual unfoldment which becomes accumulative and operative as he uses it in his work for himself and others.

Our Leader has said, “The richest blessings are obtained by labor” (Miscellany, p. 149). When we realize the great opportunity for spiritual advancement through seeking the solution of our problems in conscientious, earnest work, leaning on God alone for support and guidance, we shall see the necessity for wise discrimination in regard to the problems of another, in order rightly to discern which of his burdens to carry for him and which to leave alone. For, as we would not have another dispossess us of the rich fruitage of honest labor, so we should not deprive another of opportunity for progress by doing his work for him through ignorance or a mistaken sense of sympathy.

We shall not deviate very far out of the right way if we strive to follow the apostle’s injunction: “Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.” That is, bear the burdens of the oppressed, comfort them by destroying their fears and false convictions; and so order the trend of your daily living, so mold your ideals, purify your desires, and unself your motives, that you shall not yield to the temptation to lean on finite personality for help, nor be led to turn out of the way of reliance on Principle those who are seeking metaphysical enlightenment and healing.

The psalmist says, “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee.” As we lean on divine strength for support, and trust the spiritual fact that good alone is real and the portion of our inheritance forever, we are inspired to assume with equanimity the duties involved in the solution of our problems, confident that God governs and blesses all right activity. Then only is our burden light; then only are we endowed with spiritual power to bear the oppressions of others by proving them to be unreal, untrue. Oddly enough, we cannot successfully bear “one another’s burdens” unless we are conscientiously bearing our own burden; for, having cast our burden upon the Lord, metaphysically speaking, we have no burden—other than the responsibility of “bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”

Striving to divest ourselves of “the sin which, doth so easily beset us,” and unencumbered by the weight of fear, discouragement, or belief in the reality of matter, we experience a freedom in bearing the burdens of another,—handling them as mental impositions, base delusions of material sense, which are unable to hide from our perception man as he truly is,— as the harmonious and perfect idea of divine Love.

On page 87 of “Retrospection and Introspection” Mrs. Eddy writes, “In this orderly, scientific dispensation healers become a law unto themselves. They feel their own burdens less, and can therefore bear the weight of others’ burdens, since it is only through the lens of their unselfishness that the sunshine of Truth beams with such efficacy as to dissolve error.”