Galatians 6:2 charges us to "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." To carry each other's burdens is to fulfill the call to love one another....But to carry each other's burdens requires us to admit them. It means we have to invite others into the hard things. We need to be honest about what we have lost, where we feel weak, how we are grieving. We have to set aside the guilt and the shame that our enemy heaps on us for needing others.
~Gina Brenna Butz, "Making Peace With Change: Navigating Life's Messy Transitions With Honesty and Grace"
It's no secret that I love living in community. Vulnerability and authenticity don't come easy, but they reap sweet benefits. For community to work, we have to "invite others into the hard things" as well as the happy things and the funny things.
Earlier this week, one of our colleagues needed to pick something up from the part of the wharf where the shipping containers unload. One must wear closed toe shoes to go into that section safely, but flip flops or bare feet are the footwear of choice for most people here. Time was of the essence, and our colleague came knocking on our door to borrow a pair of shoes very quickly. My old running shoes fit him perfectly, and not knowing whether I would get them back, I sent him out the door to hustle to pick up his cargo and jump on a ship. As he left, I thought, "This would never happen in America!" And I did get the shoes back.
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