Burden or...

burden-bearer?

As we start the last quarter of this year, especially as it is Pastor Appreciation Month, it's a good time to ask ourselves this soul-searching question.

I'll explain how it came up...

Recently praying for our church pastor (my husband), we asked God to give him grace & help for the work He has placed in his hands. Then I had to ask myself:

"Am I a burden or burden-bearer for my husband?" 

Now that is a searing and heart-searching question

- one that only you can answer for yourself...after much thought of course.

I know it's so easy to label others - especially our church members - when they don't seem to be "performing" at the level of maturity you think they are or should be at. I know that sometimes people start off as burden-bearers & before you know it, they (seem to) become burdens themselves. In other cases, people that start off as burdens, become engaged in the work & are transformed into burden-bearers. Yes, I agree with you - I prefer the second category too.

The fact is that you may not have a church filled with burden-bearers from the get-go - despite our deepest desires. This is why I believe it is up to us (and our husbands) to help the first category to transition back to being burden-bearers and keep the second category as burden-bearers.

The person that came to mind as I thought about burden-bearers vs. burdens was Aaron - Moses' big brother who started off as a burden-bearer in Exodus 4:14-16* - when God assigned him to be Moses' mouthpiece. He continued to be one in Exodus 17: 10-13** when he held up Moses' arms and along with Hur. He and Hur*** were also Moses back-up when God called him up to the mountain for 40 days. In Exodus 32 he became a burden when he made and led the worshipping the golden calf....In Numbers 12, he was also a burden when he joined Miriam, their sister, to criticize Moses. It must have saddened Moses to realize that someone so close to him became a burden rather than a burden-bearer.

I can only imagine how our husbands feel when we come across as burdens rather than burden-bearers. As Mrs. Pastor, it is important that you are your husband's burden-bearer not a burden. If he must carry you along (as he rightly should)...let it be as a bundle of joy not as his burden - you'll both achieve much more that way.

One more thing: If and when you feel burdened (as could happen from time to time), don't become one - just turn it all over to the Burden-bearer.****

References:

*Ex 4: 16 - Aaron will speak to the people for you, and you will be like me, telling Aaron what to say. I will be with both of you as you speak, and I will tell each of you what to do. (Contemporary English Version)

**Ex 17: 10 - 13 - Joshua did as Moses told him and fought the Amalekites, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, Israel would win, but as soon as he put his hands down, the Amalekites would start to win. Eventually, Moses’ hands felt heavy. So Aaron and Hur took a rock, put it under him, and he sat on it. Aaron held up one hand, and Hur held up the other. His hands remained steady until sunset. So Joshua defeated the Amalekite army in battle. (God's Word Translation)

***Ex 24: 14 - He said to the leaders, “Wait here for us until we come back to you. Aaron and Hur are here with you. Take all your disagreements to them.” (God's Word Translation)

**** Matt 11: 28-29 - “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (NIV)