A lonely life without help or comfort was never God’s intention or design for creation. Obviously, there would have been no need for His command and blessing of fruitfulness and multiplication.
A single type of each animal and only Adam would have been just enough on the face of the earth.
So, why did God create so many animals of the same kind, also different types in the animal kingdom and a lot of humans on earth?
The answer is not far fetched, there is joy, comfort and strength in company, (howbeit, in the right kind of company).
His greatest desire is for the whole creation to co-exist peacefully in the bond of unity being our brothers’ keepers.
He strategically positions people in our lives to help us carry on when the toils of life become unbearably difficult. However, this is not to say these individuals do not have their own share of life’s burdens, bringing solutions and succour to us are their God-given utmost desire at that particular time.
Sometimes, they are people we are familiar with, other times, they are total strangers.
Let’s take a quick look at the scripture in Numbers 11:11-17
So Moses said to The Lord, “Why have You afflicted Your servant And why have I not found favor in Your sight that You have laid the burden of all these people on me ”
Did I conceive all these people? Did I beget them that You should say to me, “Carry them in your bosom as a guardian carries a nursing child to the land which You swore to their fathers ?”
Where am I to get meat to give to all these people For they weep all over me saying, “Give us meat that we may eat.”
I am not able to bear all these people alone because the burden is too heavy for me.
If You treat me like this please kill me here and now if I have found favor in Your sight and do not let me see my wretchedness.
The Seventy Elders
So the Lord said to Moses, “Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them, bring them to the tabernacle of meeting that they may stand there with you”.
Then I will come down and talk with you there, I will take of the Spirit that is upon you and will put the same upon them and they shall bear the burden of the people with you that you may not bear it yourself alone.
In the scripture above, Moses was deeply overwhelmed by the burden of the children of Israel, therefore he expressed his pain and disappointment at their demand and complaints.
At this stage, we cannot say Moses had not tried his best possible. He simply, finally succumbed to the pressure of the people like every other human being would.
Thank God for the special arrangement for the seventy elders who bore his burden after receiving the same Spirit of God upon him. This shows that even the encourager sometimes needs to be encouraged. Only God is infallible. He is The El – Ellyon, El -Shaddai.
Bearing one another’s burden is paramount to our spiritual and psychological growths. We all get to that point when an act of kindness, a word of encouragement, a helping hand, a smile, a pat on back, a hug could gear us up, helping us wax stronger and stronger in Christ against all odds.
No wonder in the New Testament, we were admonished to bear one another’s burden and so fulfill the law of Christ, forgiving one another.
(Romans 15:1)
Bearing Others’ Burdens: We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak and not to please ourselves.
(Galatians 6:2)
Bear one another s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.
It is not until a brother or sister falls into sin that we should consider helping them to get back on track, we could help them before they actually sin when we show them love and ask how best we could be of assistance to them when they are weighed down by the weight of various challenges.
(Galatians 6:1)
Bear and Share the Burdens Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.
God often blesses us with opportunities, time, money, health, talents, and so on, so that we can be channels of blessing to others. However, sometimes just like Moses, the pressure could also be too heavy to bear and we need His divine intervention. We must never forget to cry out to God in such situations.
Only God has sufficient solutions to life’s problems, human beings do not. We all can only serve in the capacity He allows us. He knows who to use, when and how to use us all. We only need to yield ourselves at all times as willing vessels and instruments of His love in The Master’s house.
God bless you as you become or continue to be if you already are, your brother’s keeper.
Shalom