1
00:00:01,126 --> 00:00:03,793
(gentle music)

2
00:00:12,060 --> 00:00:13,770
- One of the verses of scripture

3
00:00:13,770 --> 00:00:16,070
that has often brought comfort to my heart

4
00:00:16,070 --> 00:00:19,040
is the admonition found in Galatians 6:2,

5
00:00:19,040 --> 00:00:22,580
that encourages us to
carry each other's burdens.

6
00:00:22,580 --> 00:00:25,640
And in this way you
fulfill the law of Christ.

7
00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:27,590
This reminded me of a recent time

8
00:00:27,590 --> 00:00:29,090
where I was cutting up vegetables

9
00:00:29,090 --> 00:00:31,720
for a meal that I was preparing.

10
00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:33,510
As I was chopping the onion,

11
00:00:33,510 --> 00:00:37,210
from the outside it looked
like a normal fresh onion,

12
00:00:37,210 --> 00:00:41,010
but when I cut it open, it
was anything but normal.

13
00:00:41,010 --> 00:00:43,480
I found it was rotten on the inside.

14
00:00:43,480 --> 00:00:46,490
It wasn't a pleasant experience.

15
00:00:46,490 --> 00:00:49,250
There was no salvaging this onion.

16
00:00:49,250 --> 00:00:52,440
This was a simple
reminder to me about life.

17
00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:54,960
It's hard to tell from looking at someone

18
00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:57,610
what's going on internally,

19
00:00:57,610 --> 00:01:00,450
it can be extremely difficult
to see from appearances,

20
00:01:00,450 --> 00:01:03,080
whether or not someone is hurting.

21
00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:05,520
Most people do a pretty
good job of looking

22
00:01:05,520 --> 00:01:08,870
as though everything is
going okay in their lives.

23
00:01:08,870 --> 00:01:11,230
Asking someone, how are you?

24
00:01:11,230 --> 00:01:14,740
Is largely a form of
greeting in today's culture,

25
00:01:14,740 --> 00:01:18,440
just as the reply, "I'm fine is also."

26
00:01:18,440 --> 00:01:20,900
The invitation is to go deeper,

27
00:01:20,900 --> 00:01:23,350
to move beyond the surface level

28
00:01:23,350 --> 00:01:27,460
and to create space for a
more intimate conversation.

29
00:01:27,460 --> 00:01:29,980
The reality is that
many people are hurting.

30
00:01:29,980 --> 00:01:32,990
This COVID-19 environment
has created new stressors

31
00:01:32,990 --> 00:01:35,430
for families and individuals.

32
00:01:35,430 --> 00:01:38,350
I also believe that this
environment has provided

33
00:01:38,350 --> 00:01:41,340
new opportunities to serve humanity.

34
00:01:41,340 --> 00:01:43,430
My invitation is for us to remember,

35
00:01:43,430 --> 00:01:47,150
that it's our responsibility
to look beyond appearances,

36
00:01:47,150 --> 00:01:49,640
to come alongside the people in our lives,

37
00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:52,030
to carry each other's burdens.

38
00:01:52,030 --> 00:01:55,970
It's our duty to provide care,
support and encouragement

39
00:01:55,970 --> 00:01:57,590
for those around us.

40
00:01:57,590 --> 00:01:59,050
The command to love one another's

41
00:01:59,050 --> 00:02:02,540
is not a surface superficial type of love.

42
00:02:02,540 --> 00:02:06,290
It is a love that gets its boots dirty.

43
00:02:06,290 --> 00:02:08,800
That demonstrates a willingness
to abide with others

44
00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:10,870
in the ditches of life.

45
00:02:10,870 --> 00:02:12,750
You may be asking,

46
00:02:12,750 --> 00:02:16,720
how do we see what's going on
inside someone else's life?

47
00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:20,180
First, I contend that
we need to strengthen

48
00:02:20,180 --> 00:02:23,420
and deepen relationships
with others in our lives.

49
00:02:23,420 --> 00:02:26,150
In order to look beyond appearances,

50
00:02:26,150 --> 00:02:30,550
this takes an investment of
time, attention, and energy.

51
00:02:30,550 --> 00:02:34,110
Frankly, it's easier to
keep relationships shallow,

52
00:02:34,110 --> 00:02:36,510
but that's not what God
has called us to do.

53
00:02:36,510 --> 00:02:40,270
We are designed to be salt
and light to those around us.

54
00:02:40,270 --> 00:02:43,490
Salt needs to penetrate
whatever it seasons

55
00:02:43,490 --> 00:02:45,440
and preserves to do its work.

56
00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:49,720
Light interacts with darkness
in order to dispel it.

57
00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:53,710
Bearing one another's burdens
means investing in people,

58
00:02:53,710 --> 00:02:56,110
to be able to determine what burdens them

59
00:02:56,110 --> 00:02:59,490
so that we can begin to
make those burdens lighter.

60
00:02:59,490 --> 00:03:02,440
Today, I am certain there is someone

61
00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:05,070
within your sphere of
influence who is hurting.

62
00:03:05,070 --> 00:03:08,160
The invitation is to
find a way to encourage,

63
00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:12,210
to support and to bring
healing to this person's life.

64
00:03:12,210 --> 00:03:14,710
(soft music)