Every Church conference for a year should be on these two verses:

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. (6:2-3)

It’s interesting that at the close of a letter that has been all about the Law vs. the grace of gospel of Christ, Paul would give instruction using the phase, “the law of Christ.” In contrasting the two, he almost seems to say, “You want a law to follow? Follow the law of Christ.”

Jesus said that the first and greatest commandment was to love God completely, and love others like we love ourselves. Our society thinks of “love” as a warm, fuzzy feeling, but love is a choice and love is an action. Here, Paul puts action to “love.”

Love is coming alongside a fellow Christian and helping him/her – even or especially when he messes up. It should be the unique mark of the Christian community that we go low, in gentleness, to lift each other up when we fall – not distance ourselves to save face.

And even as Paul gives this instruction, he knows it’s going to rub an awkward place. Because we like the big picture idea, but when it comes close to home – when someone really messes up and we really are embarrassed and the world starts to point and laugh – it’s hard to ignore the ridicule and bend down to help that person up. As soon as you do, the rocks start to hit you too. You’re an “enabler.” You’re “condoning sin.” Christians are all the same. They don’t practice what they preach.

Paul speaks to that awkward place.

if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

If we’re not willing to bear each other’s burdens, we’re just lying to ourselves about how good we are. I am never too “good” to get into the muck and mire of a brother’s trespass, to help him back on his feet. I am never too holy, my theology is never so good, my congregation is never that big …

Can you image? The world would continue to mock our fallen, but they wouldn’t be able to ignore our restoration and love. And people want that kind of love.