8.1.10 "The Burden We Bear"

"The Burden We Bear"

2 Chronicles 30:1-31:21
Romans 15:1-22
Psalm 25:1-15
Proverbs 20:13-15

Reading through Romans, you may have noticed that Paul is putting a GREAT deal of emphasis on unity. I'm deeply challenged again to realize the vital necessity of "Relationships Devoted to Unity." It's not just a slogan. It's a part of serving Christ that we cannot ignore, neglect, or pass off.

Romans 15:1 says, "for we must bear the 'burden' of being considerate of the doubts and fears of others"(TLB). This needs to be our calling. Our mandate. We must place the needs of those around us before ours at all times. It's not about you. verse 2 says, "Let's please the other fellow, not ourselves and do what is for his good and thus build him up in the Lord."

The principle behind unity is Submission. We don't like to hear it, because we don't really understand it. Submission is not about blind obedience. It's so unpopular in this culture because of our individual "rights". I like to define submission as "the active setting aside of pride, will, opinion and convenience to meet the need of another." This is what this is all about: Meeting the need.

We lose the focus of submission when it becomes a matter of who 'wins' and who 'loses'. That's not what it's about at all. It's about meeting the need. I don't care what relationships we're talking about. It could be your spouse, your coworker, your neighbor, or a church friend. Every single one of these individuals have needs. All conflict is the result of unmet need. To grow in the area of unity, we must grow in the ability to submit to the needs of others.

I recently returned from a missions trip to Brazil. While on this trip I prayed that the Lord would help me see people the way he does. What was amazing for me is that to do that I needed healing in my own heart. My own insecurities had taken root so deep that when I looked at others, it was through my own filter of falling short. There's not enough time to fully develop that thought, but what is happening now is this process of seeing people from the prospective of their need that God sees, not the need I see, or the "deficiency" that I see. It becomes less of me.

This is so important to maturing in Christ. This develops OUR character to get into the habit of subjecting pride, will and opinion on a regular basis. You're thinking, "that's not fair!" You're right. That's the point. The irony of it all is this: It's the only way to "win". What's our example in this?

Romans 15:3 "Christ didn't please himself. As the Psalmist said, 'He came for the very purpose of suffering under the insults of those who were against the Lord.'" He came to submit! What was the greatest 'need' in the history of the universe? Man needed to get right with God. How did this happen? Christ submitted himself. This is the only path of conflict resolution. Our nature causes us to resolve conflict by proving ourself "right." This is not the nature of God. He was right. But regardless of that fact, He did not come to further prove that fact, he came to suffer... to meet the need.

Don't worry, we cannot do this on our own. verse 5 says, "May God who gives patience, steadiness, and encouragement help you to live in complete harmony with each other - each with the attitude of Christ toward the other." What's the attitude of Christ? Prepare to receive insults. As we become more dependent on Christ, we can begin to walk in this life of Submission and unity.

We tend to think in terms of "Priority". We believe our first priority is our relationship with the Lord. And I don't think that I could say you are wrong about that, but that top priority cannot exist apart from its application: According to verse 6, the path to right relationship with God is through harmony with one another. "And THEN all of us can praise the Lord together with one voice, giving glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."

See if you can apply the principle of Unity today. Seek the unmet need in someone else, and see what happens as you subject yourself to meet that need.




Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!

P Greg


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