The Weight of Straw
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I had a different sermon in mind for this week, but with everything happening, and the volume of things happening I had this one pop in my heart.
I'm wondering, how many of us have ever received a phone call, that started with "How are you doing?". Or the dreaded, “What are you doing phone call?”
How many times does this question get immediately followed up with a request or a complaint about some kind of situation?
And how many of you ever have a moment where you just break? You have had enough of whatever situation you are in or maybe even in the way people are speaking towards you? Where you didn't realize that you were hanging by a thread, and how close you were to the edge and then something that seems miniscule on most days makes you snap?
I think all of us can relate to this at some level.
Maybe you have heard of the theory of cumulative Impacts…it’s the effect of a singular action and how it interacts with the effects of other actions, at a particular moment or place in time. For imagery, this is the background for idiom " it’s the straw that broke the camels back."
It's the last straw, the moment that things just became to much. This lesson will be about the consideration of us as Christians…
Most days I am walking around like this camel. I'm not complaining because most of the time I am the one that signed up for what I am carrying and I am blessed beyond what could be deserved. But, every day I get phone calls, with the "how are you doing" question, followed up by some kind of request, or complaint that is intended to get me to add another straw to my back. I can sure so many of us can relate to this, we all are so busy with our lives. And at times, we even try to offload some of the things that we likely signed up for ourselves to someone else. But usually, this is what the situation looks like.
Camel with a heavy load
People keep stacking on
A little more wont hurt anything
Offloading is the same as "Passing the Buck"
Your issues are yours to bare
The weight of the load isstill the same, no matter who is carrying it
Perspective is important
All loads are not created equal
Volume vs. density matters
A camel on the side of the road may not be what it seems
Helping with the burden is not the same as carrying someone's Load
Be slow to criticize
Galatians 6:1-5 is a great example of this situation. One of which some many of us our living. We are to ensure that no one person is carrying a burden that is to heavy for one person to carry - this is the intent of vs 2. But, each person, must carry their own load in verse is clear.
So often in life we become overly burdened with things. I would say, its because we overextend ourselves. And so often, we then begin to look for the first offload location. And the load from the first camel is piled onto the second camel. Not recognizing that the 2nd camel is already doing the very best it can. It has sweat streaming down its face and the 2nd hump is running empty of water. His knees are beginning to shake and his stress is raising. There is no fault here, camel 1 is also at his breaking point and has no choice but to look for the closest place to move these tasks.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 tells us to stop and smell the roses, so often
Closing: Galatians tells us to look at ourselves, be careful to think to highly of yourself or what you are doing (vs. 3) but consider what you are doing privately and examine your work, and be proud of it, privately. Do not be the one who add's that last piece of straw. But, we should also be honest with our self examination, and ensure that we are not a camel on the side or carrying the high volume, low weight activities - because, we have much to do.
So often, its said, we are doing works for people, whether that is giving free water, feeding, speaking or giving assistance in other ways, to people who do not care or appreciate what we are doing for them. In Galations, I don't see any immediate gratification stated, but in vs. 9 it says "In Due Time" - that's a statement of Patience if I have ever seen one. "In Due Time we will reap, if we do not become weary". My friends, let's look at the load of our work and ensure we are all helping with it. Recognizing when its not evenly distributed, and as vs 2 says, and recognize when its to much for one person to carry, and fullfill the law of Christ by helping each other out. Because I can tell you for sure, when a single camel falls in this mission, it’s a failure of the entire flock of camels.