January 29, 2024
Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ. ~ Galatians 6:2
In the (almost) nightly call with my two younger granddaughters, I asked Marie-Hélène what she did on Saturday. She told me she went to the grocery store with her Daddy, and also to her friend Sophia’s birthday party at a movie theater. And then she asked, “Nana, can I tell you something really sad?”
“Of course you can,” I replied. She proceeded explain, “I put three quarters in the vending machine at the grocery store and didn’t “grab” anything. I even had one thing captured and it fell off anyway.” She later found a toy she wanted to buy, but because she spent three quarters on the vending machine, she didn’t have enough money to get it. By now tears were forming in her eyes, and mine as well, even as I was silently congratulating my son on letting her learn a life lesson. “I’ve never been able to grab a single toy in one of those machines,” I said. And she said, “That’s exactly what Daddy told me. I’ll never use one of those again!”
Image from Google Images: Claw Machines
I then redirected to conversation to ask what a birthday party in a movie theater is like. She enthusiastically talked of popcorn, gummy candy, and Diet Coke, which might be a story for another day.
Paul tells us to “bear one another’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.” He is speaking about the truth that a burden shared is a burden halved, whether the burden is a helping another move a heavy piece of furniture or listening to someone’s sadness.
I’m not sure that Marie- Hélène will be able to avoid the shiny, noisy attraction of arcade games and vending machines. But I am confident that she feels free to tell me her troubles. That’s a bit of God at work. ~ Anne
Wayfinding 