I’m not sure. Today’s comments might be a bit of a stretch but let’s try it, anyway. In his presidential address at the 2024 annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention in Indianapolis, Bart Barber challenged messengers to “bear the weaknesses of others.” This is one way of saying, not to deny the importance of personal responsibility, that we are all in this together. We look out for one another, especially as Christian brothers and sisters. Solomon reminds us, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend” (27:6). And maybe here’s the “bit of a stretch” I mentioned. Solomon is simply telling us that a faithful friend will tell us the truth and call us to accountability; in fact, even when the truth hurts and wounds, it’s sort of like applying iodine to a scrape. Wow, that hurts! But our moms apply it for our own good. Solomon is talking about bearing the weaknesses of others in this sense: being patient with others, not missing the beam in our own eyes as we point out the moat in the eyes of others. Rather than brow beat others, we should help shoulder their weaknesses and walk with them even, sometimes, speaking strong truth to them. May I offer, today, the lyrics, not of a hymn, but of a popular song from the 60s?
… The road is long
With many a winding turn
That leads us to who knows where, who knows where
But I’m strong
Strong enough to carry him
He ain't heavy, he’s my brother
. . . He would not encumber me
He ain't heavy, he’s my brother. –The Hollies (1969)
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